Frank Luke Jr.

He attacked balloons despite fighters and heavy ground fire.

Second Lieutenant Frank Luke Jr. (1897–1918), known as the “Arizona Balloon Buster,” was a United States Army Air Service fighter pilot whose brief combat career made him one of the most celebrated American aces of the First World War. Flying with the 27th Aero Squadron in France, he specialized in attacking German observation balloons, which were heavily defended because they directed artillery fire. He was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his final mission over Murvaux on 29 September 1918.

Born in Phoenix, Arizona, Luke enlisted in September 1917 and trained as a pilot before joining the American Expeditionary Forces in France. He reached the front in July 1918 and began operational flying the following month. His aggressive approach brought early friction with superiors, but his results were striking: during a 17-day period in September, he destroyed German aircraft and observation balloons at a rate unmatched by any other American pilot of the war. He was credited with 18 confirmed victories, comprising 14 balloons and four aircraft.

On 29 September, Luke took off from a forward airfield near Verdun to attack balloons around Dun-sur-Meuse. Eight German fighters pursued him, while ground batteries also fired on his aircraft. He nevertheless brought down three observation balloons. After strafing German troops near Murvaux, he landed wounded and continued the fight on the ground. The Medal of Honor citation describes his resistance with his pistol when surrounded and called upon to surrender. He died from a chest wound. Local residents buried him, and his remains were later reinterred at the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery at Romagne-sous-Montfaucon.

Luke’s Medal of Honor recognized the extraordinary determination of that final sortie, in which he continued attacking despite enemy fighters, ground fire and wounds. He also received two Distinguished Service Crosses for earlier combat actions. His reputation endured in Arizona: the Army airfield near Phoenix was named Luke Field in 1941 and later became Luke Air Force Base.

Citation summary: For extraordinary heroism near Murvaux on 29 September 1918, Luke attacked a defended German balloon line despite pursuit by eight fighters and heavy ground fire, destroying three balloons. After strafing enemy troops, he landed wounded and resisted capture with his pistol until killed.

Sources: U.S. War Department, General Orders No. 13, 1919, Medal of Honor citation for Second Lieutenant Frank Luke Jr.; National Museum of the United States Air Force, “Lt. Frank Luke Jr.”; Air Force Historical Support Division, “Luke — 2nd Lt Frank Luke Jr.”; Luke Air Force Base, “Frank Luke”; Congressional Medal of Honor Society, “Frank Luke Jr.”