The Minnesota History Center and the Minnesota WWII Roundtable are very proud to announce a unique and special program on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. We are pleased to announce an evening with 103-year old, Major John H. “Lucky” Luckadoo, the last surviving original cadre pilot of the 100th Bomb Group in World War II.

John “Lucky” Luckadoo survived 28 combat missions flying the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress with the “Bloody Hundredth.” His story is vividly told in the highly acclaimed and award-winning book, “Damn Lucky” by Kevin Mauer and John “Lucky” Luckadoo. Copies of this sensational book will be available for purchase at the event.

The feature program will be held at the Minnesota History Center on Tuesday, April 22nd in the 3M Auditorium at 7:00pm. John will share stories of flying combat missions over the deadly skies of Hitler’s Fortress Europe against the German Luftwaffe.

Prior to the main feature event, there will be a Student Outreach Program that will feature Minnesota WWII Roundtable historians. This program will begin at 5:45pm.

Over 26,000 Eighth Air Force airmen were killed in action during World War II and now, there are just a handful of these veterans left. Additionally, we will feature other WWII Eighth Air Force airmen during the program. Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet and listen to a these true American patriots. Admission is free to the public. Parking is $6.00 at the Minnesota History Center. Seats are limited, so please arrive early.

(See the official news release here.)

This year’s schedule has been posted and can be found here.

For one historian’s perspective on our Roundtable (frequent guest Flint Whitlock) , see this Fall 2010 article from WW2 Quarterly magazine here.

This year’s schedule has been posted and can be found here.

There will be a plaque ceremony commemorating the historic importance of the original Engineering Research Associates (ERA) plant in the Midway area of St. Paul. ERA was the forerunner of Univac, Control Data, Cray Research, and perhaps 100 other technology companies, and later the medical technology industry.  The building still stands.

Speakers will include Lowell Benson (Univac), Norb Berg (Control Data), Dean Laurance (who worked at the plant), John Rollwagen (Cray Research), and Manny Villafana (St. Jude Medical/medical device industry.).   Chad Roberts, president of the Ramsey County Historic Society, will unveil the plaque.  Don Hall, who wrote the book “Generation of Wealth” will provide some historic perspective.

Time:  Thursday, June 15, 2023, at 3:30 p.m.

Location:  1902 Minnehaha Avenue West ( two blocks north of University Avenue)

The public is welcome.

Questions?  Call or email Don Hall  (612) 823 – 5408,  donhall5025@comcast.net.

This year’s schedule has been posted and can be found here.

ALLIANCE FRANCAISE PRESENTS

Stephen Harding will present the true, yet unbelievable story of the bravery of the French Citizens and Resistance in the rescue of American bomber crews that were shot down in the preparation for the invasion on D-Day. It features the story of 4 B-17 bomber crews that were shot down on a mission on July 14, 1943, Bastille Day, while on a mission over Nazi-occupied France after rescue the Airmen were taken to Paris, which was occupied by thousands of German troops. The French took the crews to the Hotel des Invalides, near the Eiffel Tower, swarming with Nazi troops, and the site of the tomb of Napoleon. The book, “Escape from Paris” is based on interviews and documents based on the repatriation of crews and post-war life events. Mr. Harding is Editor in-chief of the quarterly magazine-MILITARY HISTORY

May 11, 2022 | 6PM
Location: Alliance Française
227 Colfax Ave N,
Minneapolis, MN 55405

(Flyer)

MNHS has instituted a mask mandate for activities on-site, including the HCD WW2 Roundtable. Please see the MNHS Covid-19 page for more information.

Here’s a link to our Facebook page which has some posts from the 7/24-25/2021 Airshow.

This year’s schedule has been posted, and can be found here.