By Bethanne Kelly Patrick
Military.com Columnist
Army Lt. Frank Luke defied his orders and the odds to become the second highest scoring American pilot of World War I (Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker was the first). At a time when formation flying had become the norm, Luke was a "lone wolf" who preferred to score victories on his own, whether or not his superiors sanctioned his flights.
Luke was born in Arizona in 1897 to German immigrants; perhaps his experience as a first-generation American fueled his passion to join the fight, which he did by enlisting on Sept. 25, 1917. After flight training in January 1918, he was commissioned a second lieutenant and sent to France, assigned to the 27th Aero Squadron, 1st Pursuit Group, under command of Lt. Col. Harold Hartney. Hartney was lenient with his cocksure lieutenant’s solo maneuvers. "I know he’s been criticized for being such a lone-hander," he said, "but, good Lord, he won us priceless victories by those very tactics."
A fellow pilot mentioned how hard it was to shoot down German observation balloons because they were heavily guarded. Luke decided to make a specialty of attacking those tough targets. During one September week, he shot down 13 balloons. On Sept. 18, 1918, he shot down two balloons, two Fokker D-7s, and a Halberstadt, as usual bringing back a plane so badly damaged it would have to be replaced.
Just 10 days later the "Arizona Balloon Buster" made his final sally against the enemy during the Battle of the Meuse-Argonne. He had been placed under arrest for going AWOL again, but had stolen his SPAD 13 aircraft and headed for the front. Dropping a note to Hartney reading, "Watch 3 Hun balloons on the Meuse," Luke flamed three observation balloons. Eight German Fokkers chased him down, forcing him to land in the town of Murvaux -- but not before he had strafed a column of German foot soldiers nearby.
Surrounded by enemies calling out for his surrender, Luke pulled out his pistol and killed several Germans before they returned fire, ending his brief career and his short life. At 21, Frank Luke had a record of 18 air victories -- better than Rickenbacker's at the time Luke died -- and was awarded a posthumous Medal of Honor for his deeds.