Frank Luke
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| Frank Luke, Jr. | |
|---|---|
| May 19, 1897 - September 29, 1918 | |
 Frank Luke, Jr., Medal of Honor recipient |
|
| Nickname | "Arizona Balloon Buster" |
| Place of birth | Phoenix, Arizona |
| Place of death | KIA near Murvaux, France |
| Allegiance | U.S. Army |
| Years of service | 1917-1918 |
| Rank | Second Lieutenant |
| Battles/wars | World War I |
| Awards | Medal of Honor Distinguished Service Cross (USA) Croice de Guerra (Italian) |
Frank Luke Jr. (May 19, 1897 in Phoenix, Arizona – September 29, 1918 near Murvaux, France) was an American World War I fighter pilot, ranking second among American pilots to Eddie Rickenbacker in number of enemy aircraft shot down during the war [1].
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[edit] Biography
Luke, like Rickenbacker, was born to immigrants. He enlisted in the U.S. Army on September 25, 1917 and received his flight training in January 1918. Commissioned a Second Lieutenant, he went to France, where he was assigned to the 27th Aero Squadron. He was simultaneously admired and disliked for his tendency to fly alone. His wingman-ace Joseph Wehner-was killed in action on September 18, 1918. That same day Luke shot down his 13th "official" kill - a Halberstadt C of FA 36.
A fellow pilot warned Luke that German observation balloons were a difficult and dangerous target. Luke took that as a challenge and became known as the "Arizona Balloon Buster." Between September 12 and September 29, Luke was credited with shooting down 14 German balloons and four airplanes. [1]
Luke met his fate in the Battle of Meuse-Argonne. Under threat of arrest for going AWOL, Luke took off in a SPAD XIII fighter without authorization and flew to the front. He shot down three observation balloons but was wounded by antiaircraft fire. Short on fuel, he had no choice but to land in enemy territory. Surrounded, Luke is said to have pulled out a pistol and fired at several Germans before they killed him. He was awarded a posthumous Medal of Honor.
Rickenbacker said of Luke: "He was the most daring aviator and greatest fighter pilot of the entire war. His life is one of the brightest glories of our Air Service. He went on a rampage and shot down fourteen enemy aircraft, including ten balloons, in eight days. No other ace...even the dreaded Richthofen had ever come close to that."
[edit] Recognition
- Luke Air Force Base, located west of Phoenix, Arizona, is named in his honor.
- Frank Luke was named the Class Exemplar of the United States Air Force Academy's class of 2010.
- In the 2006 movie Flyboys, James Franco's leading character Blaine Rawlings is inspired by Frank Luke.
- Recent research into the death of Frank Luke will be released in the book THE STAND: The Final Flight of Lt. Frank Luke, Jr. by Schiffer Publishing, set for publication in 2008.
[edit] Notes
- ^ Top 10: World War I Aces. Airman Airforce Heritage. United States Air Force. Retrieved on July 16, 2006.
[edit] External links
- Stephen Skinner. THE STAND: The Final Flight of Lt. Frank Luke, Jr.. Schiffer Military History Books, upcoming 2008 release. Retrieved on March 8, 2007.
- Frank Luke. Aces and Aircraft of World War I. The Aerodrome. Retrieved on March 14, 2006.
- King, Tim. The Frank Luke Jr. Documentary. Retrieved on July 16, 2006.
- Lieutenant Frank Luke Jr.. Air Force Link. United States Air Force. Retrieved on July 16, 2006.
- Medal of Honor Recipients. Airman Airforce Heritage. United States Air Force. Retrieved on July 16, 2006.
