The Raymer enterprise. (New Raymer, Weld County, Colo.) 1910-19??, 1919-07-24

Jr. oh, yes, II WIS presented with
proper ceremonies at the Arizona state capitol In
Phoenix by Brig. Gen II. r. Hickok. Governor
Campbell and other dignitaries. But the main
thing Ii that the medal awarded and Is now
where Is belongs And The lighting men Of this
western country are mixed In their feelings-di-
sided between grief that they can no longer wish
their pet flyer "Happy Landings" and pride that
he so well represented them that he was the first
flying officer to get the Congressional Medal OF
Honor.
Moreover. the mystery of Luke's fate that for
many months kept all the fighting men OF this
western country on the lookout for news Of him
Is now solved. And these western fighting
are doubly proud that their air hero died
with his boots on"--that his grand finale was At
tingly glorious and AS heroic as was his whole
meteorc career.
Eighteen Hun planes and balloons in seventeen
days Is part Of Luke's official record. And nal-
looms" Yes. balloons. Don't make the mistake
Of thinking lightly of nm aviator destroying a
balloon. Regulars. marines, national guards. ma
tonal army. doughboys, artillersts engineers-al
have their heroes. But don't overlook the arnen
when apnortionng honors. And II there Is any
war business more dangerous than combating
enemy arplanes II Is destroying enemy obssrva-
tion balloons. The quality Of the Job is indicated
ny tHe 6efInun pFhclite OF ereullng Win TWO VIC
tories every pilot who strafed balloon. Aud
maybe this Is why strafing balloons was The
chosen business and specially Of Frank Luke.
Here's glimpse Of what Lieut.. Frank Luke's
comrades think Of his work The other day J.
10y Maloney returned to the Chicago Tribune
staff. lie had pair OF X NJ A. wings and three
gold overseas service cheyrons and his pilot book
shows $50 hours In the air, $50 OF which were over
the lines. He was with the famed oath aero
squadron-Eddie Rickenbaeker's own. He was
pressed for news OF his exploits.
well, | didn't do Il darn thing. but | can tell
you n story about a hero-a real hero, the bravest
man In the war" said Maoney.
"Iils Frank Luke, IT.. he lived In
Phoenix Ariz, before the war and he was prob
ably the most brilliant flyer had
"Ile would fly over our balloon officers aud
drop note telling them he would knock down
a hilnp Mt a certain tme--and at that time down
would come the bag.
ION Lukes last trip up he made the most
sensational flight In history. He had dropped
note saying two German balloons would be crash
cd. They were. and then his air went bad aud
he had to pump by hand, which means handling
the stick. the gas and all the guns with one hand
He saw two Fokkers knock down an American
scout 80 he went up and knocked down the
men trying to get huge German trpane. Luke
got the ship. but shrapnel stopped his motor.
"Down he went. Below was Germany and
German troops. That 20 year old kid dove the
ship over the marching columns of boche troops
aud turned his machine gun loose on them. know
ing he would he prisoner.
"But he killed eight men then set his ship
down on the ground and whipped out his auto
matte. He hit three boches when they came up
to capture hIm-nnd they bumped him on.
when he died he had eighteen victories TO
his credit and was keeping Rick humping
This II the judgment Of trained newspaper
man, used to getting facts, apprecating their
value and sizing up men.
Perhaps nobody Is better able to tell the truth
about Luke than the man who commanded his
squadron In the fighting In which he took so bril-
liant part. That man, Harold Il. Hartney, now
! lieutenant colonel and chief Of gunnery In the
mr. service describes his first impression Of him
~ hat Of "a youth keen and aquiline. blue-eyed
and fair. with strong jaw and hair brushed back
from d broad. high forehead
LIKE was 20 years old when he entered the
service. He was trained Ut the University Of