The Lucky Bastard

Author: John Prewit
Publisher: Writers Pub WA
Edition: First
Cover: Soft
ISBN: 0-910303-05-3
Bomb

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Synopsis: John Prewit's memoir chronicles his experiences as a bomber crew member who beat the odds by surviving a complete combat tour with the Eighth Air Force during World War II's most dangerous period for American airmen. The book's irreverent title reflects the gallows humor and fatalistic attitude that sustained bomber crews through repeated encounters with death, as completing the required twenty-five missions was often considered more a matter of luck than skill. Prewit begins with his training and preparation for combat operations, documenting the intensive process that transformed civilian volunteers into skilled bomber crew members capable of operating complex four-engine aircraft under extreme combat conditions. The narrative follows his deployment to England and integration into Eighth Air Force strategic bombing operations during 1943-1944, when crew survival rates were frequently below fifty percent. The memoir provides detailed accounts of specific missions, capturing the pre-flight tension, combat experience, and post-mission reactions that characterized bomber operations during the period of heaviest losses. Prewit's writing style maintains remarkable honesty about the fear, uncertainty, and psychological pressure of combat flying, avoiding heroic romanticism in favor of authentic portrayal of the bomber crew experience. The book extensively covers the relationships between crew members, describing how men from different backgrounds formed close bonds while sharing the dangers of repeated combat missions over heavily defended enemy territory. The narrative provides insights into the superstitions, rituals, and coping mechanisms that helped airmen deal with the constant awareness that each mission might be their last. Prewit addresses the impact of casualties on crew morale, describing how units dealt with the loss of friends and comrades while continuing to fly dangerous missions against German industrial targets. The memoir includes vivid descriptions of German defensive measures, including fighter attacks and anti-aircraft artillery that made bomber operations increasingly deadly throughout the unescorted period of 1943. The author examines the gradual improvement in survival rates following the introduction of long-range escort fighters, particularly the P-51 Mustang that finally made deep penetration missions survivable. Prewit provides detailed coverage of specific aircraft and their crews, creating personal portraits of the men who served alongside him in bomber operations during the war's most critical phase. The book addresses the challenges of completing the required mission tour, describing how few crews actually achieved this goal during the period of heaviest losses when replacement rates often exceeded arrival rates. The narrative includes coverage of life at English bases, describing the routines, relationships, and recreational activities that sustained morale between dangerous missions over enemy territory. Prewit concludes with reflections on his combat service and its long-term impact on his life, providing insights into how aerial warfare experiences affected veterans throughout their post-war years. This authentic firsthand account serves as an invaluable primary source for understanding the human experience of strategic bombing operations, preserving the voice and memory of a generation that faced extraordinary challenges with remarkable courage.

The Lucky Bastard, is one of the many primary source materials in the Army Air Corps Museum collection.