Nicholas Radosevich

Military
A bomber crew of the 453rd Bomb Group wait on a jeep. Letter enclosed with print: '[Left to Right] James E Terwilliger- Waist Gunner, Luhter 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 media-380672.jpg FRE 1866 A bomber crew of the 453rd Bomb Group enjoying a ride on Jimmy Stewart's jeep at Old Buckenham, after completing their 32nd and final mission, 23 June 1944.

Letter 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

Object Number - FRE 1866 - A bomber crew of the 453rd Bomb Group enjoying a ride on Jimmy Stewart's jeep at Old Buckenham, after completing their 32nd and final mission, 23...

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

Colonel Larry Thomas of the 453rd Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Col Larry Thomas 453BG.'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • 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
A bomber crew of the 453rd Bomb Group wait on a jeep. Letter enclosed with print: '[Left to Right] James E Terwilliger- Waist Gunner, Luhter 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
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 453rd Bomb Group 734th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot
A bomber crew of the 453rd Bomb Group wait on a jeep. Letter enclosed with print: '[Left to Right] James E Terwilliger- Waist Gunner, Luhter 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
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 453rd Bomb Group 734th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
A bomber crew of the 453rd Bomb Group wait on a jeep. Letter enclosed with print: '[Left to Right] James E Terwilliger- Waist Gunner, Luhter 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
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 453rd Bomb Group 734th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Engineer

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Lucky Penny
  • Unit: 453rd Bomb Group 734th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Lucky Penny
  • Unit: 453rd Bomb Group 734th Bomb Squadron

Missions

  • Date: 4 June 1944
  • Official Description:

Places

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

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

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

Date
Contributordaba82
Changes
Sources

AAF Record Transcription Project

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

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

Nicholas Radosevich: Gallery (1 items)