Luke namesake an American hero

  • Published
  • By GUS VINAS
  • 56th Fighter Wing historian
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  Monday marks the 90th anniversary of the death of the namesake of Luke Air Force Base, 2nd Lt. Frank Luke, Jr. A man who destroyed 18 enemy aircraft during an 18-day period in September 1918, he was a Phoenix native who became the first aviator awarded the Medal of Honor and a warrior who went down in history as a true American hero. 

At the time of Lieutenant Luke's achievements, World War I had been raging for four years as this nation's traditional allies of Great Britain, France, Russia and Italy were pitted against the Central Powers of Germany, Austro-Hungary, Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire, which is now known as Turkey. 

Air power was in its infancy and a new weapon, the observation balloon, was being used to spot enemy targets for artillery. Casualty figures increased with the introduction of balloons, and they became high-value targets. To protect those assets, balloons were surrounded by machine guns while fighter aircraft were nearby to provide protection. Attacking a balloon meant braving ground fire and enemy fighters again and again as the balloons would not always explode after one attack. Most pilots considered attacking a balloon suicide, but not Lieutenant Luke. 

Lieutenant Luke's tactics included waiting for sundown when the balloons were being lowered to the ground before making the attack with his wingman, 2nd Lt. Joe Werner. With Lieutenant Werner flying high to fend off any defending fighters, Lieutenant Luke would attack and fire on the target until the hydrogen-filled balloon exploded. Lieutenant Luke's tactics worked so well that he soon gained the title of Arizona balloon buster. 

His road to that title began on Sept. 12, 1918, when he evaded enemy fire and made two attacks on a balloon. It did not explode, and then his gun jammed. He flew off still evading enemy fire, fixed his gun, and returned for a third attack which gave him his first kill. He flew again two days later and destroyed two more balloons. His tactics were so effective that the next day he made three kills and gained the status of flying ace, which is given to pilots that have five or more kills. He added two more kills on Sept. 16.
Lieutenant Luke flew again two days later and posted a single-mission record by destroying two balloons and three enemy fighters. He did not fly again until Sept. 28 when he shot down another two balloons. The next day, Lieutenant Luke flew his last mission on what was to be the last day of his life. His actions during that mission earned him the Medal of Honor. 

He had been grounded the previous day, but disregarded that restriction and took to the air. He spotted and destroyed two balloons and then found a third. It was during the attack on that third balloon that his aircraft was hit by defending fire and Lieutenant Luke was wounded. After destroying that third balloon and bringing his total victories to 18, he tried to get home. He reached the occupied French town of Murvaux where he spotted German infantry and began an attack. After killing six soldiers and wounding six more his aircraft failed and he landed in enemy territory. 

Germany was losing the war at that time and a peace conference was underway. It could have been postulated that had not Lieutenant Luke drawn his pistol and fired on advancing German soldiers after landing, that he would have been taken prisoner. But those advancing enemy soldiers had just witnessed him kill a number of their comrades and there was some question whether they would have taken him prisoner. The question was settled when Lieutenant Luke pulled out his pistol and began firing on the advancing Germans. They returned fire, killing the lone pilot. 

Lieutenant Luke destroyed 18 enemy aircraft in only seven missions during an 18-day period from Sept. 12 to 29, 1918. For this extraordinary accomplishment, on May 3, 1919, the War Department awarded the lieutenant the Medal of Honor.