Nicholas Radosevich
MilitaryLetter enclosed with print: '[Left to Right] James E Terwilliger- Waist Gunner, Luther M Clark- Co-pilot, Carl Powell- Navigator, Lattie P Head- Nose Gunner, Nicholas Radosevich- Pilot, Edmund M Survilla- Tail Gunner, Lt ? Lee- Bombardier (Robert Burgess was the Bombardier on the original crew), Joseph D Craft- Radio operator, Robert Victor- Waist Gunner, Robert O Hanson- Engineer- Top Turret. Original Cadre- Model (Crew #41) 734th Squadron, 453rd Bomb Group.' Roger Freeman Collection
Nicholas Radosevich's memories of his final mission in A Retrospective View - World War II 1940-1945, by Reverend Ed Walker and Nicholas Radosevich (1995) at the Second Air Division Digital Archive
Radosevich was the assigned captain of crew 41, which was designated a 'model' crew and intended to train other crews joining the 734th Bomb Squadron. Before travelling to the UK, he was given Penelope, a cocker spaniel, who inspired the name of his aircraft "Lucky Penny."
From January to July 1944, Radosevich completed 32 missions. After his final mission on 23 June 1944, his commanding officer Jimmy Stewart collected his crew from the flight line and drove them back in his jeep.
After returning to the US Radosevich became a B-29 Superfortress instructor pilot in Kansas.
After the war he enrolled in Ohio State University to study Physical Education, and embarked on a career in quality control inspection. Radosevich died, aged 99, on 27 September 2016.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 453rd Bomb Group 733rd Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 453rd Bomb Group 734th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Mascot
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 453rd Bomb Group 734th Bomb Squadron
- Role/Job: Mascot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 453rd Bomb Group 734th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 453rd Bomb Group 734th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Engineer
Aircraft
Missions
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Lorain, Ohio | 21 September 1917 | |
Died |
Tampa Bay | 27 September 2016 | |
Enlisted |
|||
Based |
Old Buckenham | ||
Other Assigned to 453rd Bomb Group |
Pocatello, Idaho |
Revisions
A Retrospective View - World War II 1940-1945, by Reverend Ed Walker and Nicholas Radosevich (1995) at the Second Air Division Digital Archive, Obituary, newspaper story: Pilot Flies Back in Time published in the Tampa Bay Times, 2010
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / book:A Retrospective View - World War II 1940 -1945