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Frank
Luke Jr.
Name: Frank Luke Jr.
Country: United States
Rank: 2nd Lieutenant
Service: United States Air Service
Units: 27th Aero (Eagle)
Victories: 18
Date Of Birth: May 19, 1897
Place of Birth: Phoenix, Arizona
Date Of Death: September 29, 1918
Place of Death: Near Murvaux
Buried: Romagne Military CemeteryPosthumously awarded the Medal of Honour, Frank Luke was the
leading ace in the United States Air Service at the time of his
death. After aerial combat training at Issoudun, France, Luke was
assigned to the 27th Pursuit Squadron under Harold
Hartney on July 25, 1918. Often flying alone or with his
sidekick Joseph Wehner, Luke shot down 18 enemy balloons and
planes in 17 days before he was killed in action. After flaming
three German balloons on September 29, 1918, his SPAD S.XIII was
shot down by ground fire. Resisting capture, he shot it out with
approaching German soldiers and was killed near the crash site.
After the war, Luke's remains were reburied at the Romagne
Military Cemetery. Luke Air Force Base was named in his honour.
Medal of Honour
"After having previously destroyed a number of enemy aircraft
within 17 days he voluntarily started on a patrol after German
observation balloons. Though pursued by 8 German planes which were
protecting the enemy balloon line, he unhesitatingly attacked and
shot down in flames 3 German balloons, being himself under heavy
fire from ground batteries and the hostile planes. Severely
wounded, he descended to within 50 meters of the ground, and
flying at this low altitude near the town of Murvaux opened fire
upon enemy troops, killing 6 and wounding as many more. Forced to
make a landing and surrounded on all sides by the enemy, who
called upon him to surrender, he drew his automatic pistol and
defended himself gallantly until he fell dead from a wound in the
chest." Medal of Honour citation
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