102-Year Old WWII Pilot Maj. John H. "Lucky" Luckadoo Returns To Chattanooga To Honor Fallen Friend

  • Thursday, October 3, 2024
Maj. John H. "Lucky" Luckadoo, a Chattanooga native and the last surviving WWII B-17 Flying Fortress pilot of the U.S. Army Eighth Air Force's legendary 100th Bomb Group, will return to his hometown to pay homage to his best friend and fellow aviator, Royal Canadian Air Force Flight Lieutenant LeRoy M. "Sully" Sullivan.

On Oct. 28, Maj. Luckadoo will dedicate a cenotaph to Flight Lt. Sullivan at his mother's grave during a private ceremony with military honors at Forest Hills Cemetery.
The ceremony fulfills Nellie H. Sullivan's lifelong wish to have her son's remains closer to home. During the dedication, Maj. Luckadoo will inter soil from Sullivan's grave in England into his mother's resting place. Ms. Rosaline Kwan, consul general of Canada to the Southeast United States, will attend the ceremony on behalf of the Government of Canada. 

“I’m just really overwhelmed by the details that have been organized to commemorate my dear friend, Sully,” said Maj. Luckadoo. “I hope everyone involved understands my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation.”

Following the private ceremony, a public reception will be held from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Coolidge National Medal of Honor Heritage Center. Sponsored by Warren & Griffin Attorneys at Law, the reception honors both Maj. Luckadoo and Flight Lt. Sullivan. Guests are required to RSVP and will receive a complimentary one-day pass to the Heritage Center for Oct. 28.

Attendees will have the opportunity to meet Maj. Luckadoo and Kevin Maurer, the New York Times bestselling author of Damn Lucky: One Man's Courage During the Bloodiest Military Campaign in Aviation History. Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing.

In the afternoon, Maj. Luckadoo will revisit his alma mater, the former Chattanooga City High School—now the Chattanooga School for the Arts & Sciences—for a tour led by teacher Chris Hendrix. Both he and Flight Lt. Sullivan graduated from the school in 1940.

“The occasion to come back to my hometown of Chattanooga and visit places like the high school Sully and I attended will be nostalgic and memorable,” said Maj. Luckadoo. “It’s something I shall treasure.”

Event details:
- Private Cenotaph Dedication Ceremony - Oct. 28, 10-11 a.m. at Forest Hills Cemetery, 4016 Tennessee Ave. in Chattanooga;
- Public Reception - Oct. 28, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at Coolidge National Medal of Honor Heritage Center, 2 W. Aquarium Way, Suite 104. RSVP to Jeff Johnson at 678-230-6705 or heyitzjj@gmail.com by Oct. 15;
- Chattanooga School for the Arts & Sciences Tour - Oct. 28, 5 p.m. at 865 E. 3rd St. in Chattanooga.

About Maj. John H. "Lucky" Luckadoo
 
Maj. Luckadoo was born on March 16, 1922, in Chattanooga. Inspired to serve alongside his best friend Sullivan, he joined the U.S. Army Air Forces after the attack on Pearl Harbor. As a member of the inaugural group assigned to the 100th Bomb Group, known as "The Bloody Hundredth," he was one of only four copilots out of his class of 40 to complete a full tour of 25 combat missions. His unit’s experiences are the subject of the 2024 Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg Apple TV+ television miniseries Masters of the Air. Maj. Luckadoo currently resides in Dallas, Tx. 
Short (2:14) YouTube sizzle video about Maj. Luckadoo: https://youtu.be/ne_1jy6QK2c

About Flight Lieutenant LeRoy M. "Sully" Sullivan
 
Born on Dec. 20, 1921, in Chattanooga, Sullivan was the only child of Nellie H. Sullivan. He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1940 to fight against Nazi Germany before the United States entered WWII. Sullivan flew Spitfire fighters in North Africa and Egypt and later transitioned to the Hawker Typhoon fighter in England. He tragically lost his life on November 7, 1943, when his fighter crashed in England. He was the first pilot from Chattanooga to die in WWII. Over 80 years later, Maj. Luckadoo still considers Sullivan his best friend. 

About Kevin Maurer
 
Kevin Maurer is an award-winning journalist and bestselling author known for his in-depth reporting on military operations. His notable works include No Easy Day, co-authored with former Navy SEAL Mark Owen. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Maurer conducted extensive interviews with Maj. Luckadoo, resulting in the acclaimed biography Damn Lucky: One Man's Courage During the Bloodiest Military Campaign in Aviation History.
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