The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1919-08-08


proper ceremonies at the Arizona state capitol In
Phoenix Ivy Brig. Gen. H. II. Hckok, Governor
Campbell and other dgnitares But the main
thing II that the medal was AWARDED and Is now
where Is belongs. Aud the hghting ven Of this
western country are mixed In their feel'ngs-ii-
vided between grief that they LONGER wish
their pet flyer Happy Landings" and pride that
nc so well represented them that he was the first
dying officer To get the Congressional Medal of
Honor.
Moreover. the mystery of Lakes fate that for
many months kept NIL the fighting men of this
western country the lookout for news Of him
fs solved. And these western fighting men
douby proud that their air hero died
with his boots on"-that his grand finale was At
tingly glorious aud as heroic rs was his whole
meteoric career.
Eighteen Hun planes and balloons In seventeen
days is part OF I.uke's official record. "And nnl-
looms Yes. balloons. Don't make the mistake
Of thinking lightly OF an aviator destroying "a
balloon Regulars. marines. national guards. ma
tonal army doughboys. artillcrists. engineers-all
have their heroes. Hut don't overlook the nlrmen
when apnortionlng honors, And II there Is any
war business dangerous than combating
enemy airplnnes u IL destroying enemy obs.rva-
tion balloons. The quality of the Job Is Indicated
by the German practice of crediting with two vic
tories every pilot who strafed u balloon And
maybe this Is why strafing balloons was he
chosen business and speciality OF Frank Luke
Here's glimpse OF what Lieut.. Frank I.uke's
comrades think Of his work: The other day J.
10y Maloney returned to the Chicago Tribune
staff. lie had pair Of Il. NJ A. wings and three
gold overseas service chevrons and his pilot book
shows aaO hours In the mir. $50 Of which were over
the lines. He was with the famed 9ith
squadron--Edde Rckenbncker's own. He was
pressed for "news" OF his exploits
"weii. didn't do n darn thing but l can tell
you IA story about n hero~a real hero. the brayest
man In the war" said Maloney
Ellis name Frank Luke. Ir., he lived In
Phoenix. Arx.. before the war and he was prob.
ably the most brilliant flyer we had.
"ie would fly over our balloon officers and
drop a note telling them he would knock down
q blimp ut u certain time-and ut 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
cd 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
lie saw two Fokkcrs knock down an American
scout. he went M and knocked down the
boches. On hts way back he French
mea trying to get huge German triplane Luke
got the ship, but shrapnei stopped his motor.
Down he went Reiow Germany and
German troops. That 10 year old kid dove the
ship over the marching columns OF boche troops
and turned his machine gun loose on them. know
Ing he would be prsone-
"iiut he killed eight men, then set his ship
down ON the ground and whipped out his auto
matte. lie hit three boches when they came up
To capture him--and they bumped him OF.
.When he died he had eighteen victories
his credit and was keeping Rick humping"
This Is the Judgment Of trained newspaper
man. used Ia getting facts. appreciating their
value. and sizing up men.
Perhaps nobody IL better able to tell The truth
about Luke than the who commanded his
squadron In the lighting In which he took so brl-
liant u part That man. Harold T. Hartney. now
a lieutenant colonel and chief of gunne-y In tho
air service. describes his first impression Of him
that OF "a youth keen and aquiline. olue-eyed
and fair. with a strong jaw aud hs,r brushed back
from broad. high forehead"
Luke 20 years old when he entered the
ssviea. He vas trained NJ the University Of