The Elk Mountain pilot., 1919-07-24

wv OuSly awarded TO Lieut.. rr;lnk Luxe,
Jr. oh, yes, 1t presented with
proper ceremonies mt the Arizona state capitol In
Phoenix by Brig. Gen. H. II. Hckok. Governor
Campbell and other dgnltaries But the NUN
thing is that the medal awarded and is-ii9w
where Is belongs. And the fighting men of this
western country mixed In their feelings--di-
vided between grief that they can no longer wish
their pct flyer "Hnppy Landings" and pride that
he well represented them that he was the drst
flying officer 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
II now solved. And these western fighting men
are dOubly proud that their air hero "ded
with his boots on'-that his grand finale was At
tingly glorious md heroic was his whole
meteorc career.
Eighteen Hun planes and balloons in seventeen
days Is part of Luke's official record. And bal
looms" Yes. balloons. Don't make the mistake
at thinking lightly of an aviator destroying
balloon. Regulars. marines. national guards ma
fonal army, dOughbOys, artilleriss, engineers-all
have their heroes. But don't overlook the airmen
when apportionng honors. And II there Is any
war business more dangerous than combating
enemy arplanes 1t is destroying enemy observa-.
fon balloons. The quality of the job Is indicated
by the German practice OF crediting with two VIC
tories every pilot who strnfed II balloon. And
maybe this is why strafing balloons was The
chosen business and speciality of Frank Luke.
Here's n glimpse of what Lieut.. Frank Lukcs
comrades think of his work: The other day J.
10y Maloney returned to the Chicago Tribune
staff. lie had pair of r. NJ. A. wings and three
gold overseas service chevrons 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 Rickenbacker's own. He was
pressed for news of his exploits.
"WelI. / didn't do darn thing, but can tell
you story about II hero-a real hero. the bravest
man in the war;" said MalOney.
"His name was Frank Luke, Ir., he lived in
Phoenix. Ariz., before the war and he was prob
nbly the most brilliant flyer we had.
"He would fly our balloon officers and
drop a note telling them he would knock down
n blimp at a certain time-and at that time down
would come the bag.
ION Luke's last trip up he made the most
sensational flight in history He had dropped
note saying two German balloons would be crash
ed They were. and then his air went bad and
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 so he went up and knocked down the
boches. ON his way back he saw seven French
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 the marching columns of boche troops
and turned his machine gun loose on them, know
ing he would be 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-and they bumped him of
"When he died he had eighteen victories to
his credit and was keeping Rick humping"
This is the Judgment of trained newspaper
mnu used to getting facts, appreciating their
value and sizing up men.
Perhaps nobody is better able to tell the truth
.hout Luke than the who commanded his
souadron In the fighting in which he took so bril-
liant a part. That man, Harold f. Hartney, now
= lieutenant colonel and chief OF runnery In the
air service describes his first impression OF him
=. chat NJ IN youth keen and aQuiline. blue-eyed
and fair, with a strong jaw and hair brushed back
from broad high forehead"
Like was 20 years old when he entered inc
eee~tce. He was trained At the onivefs's "