28 June 2009

Medal of Honor: F. Luke, Jr.

FRANK LUKE JR

Second Lieutenant, US Army Air Corps; 27th Aero Squadron, 1st Pursuit Group

Born: 19 May 1897, Phoenix, Arizona
Died: 29 September 1918, near Murvaux, France

Citation: After having previously destroyed a number of enemy aircraft within 17 days he voluntarily started on a patrol after German observation balloons [Near Murvaux, France, on 29 September 1918]. 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.

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