Evening star., 1928-01-04
ACES UP! By JOHN KNOX
The Fact Story of American Aviators In the World War
Taken From the Hitherto Secret Archives
of the United States, Great Britain,
France, Italy, Germany and Stories
of Surviving War Eagl gles

long table. youthful faces that had
lived years in fleeting moments. They
were eager faces this september
night and deflantly gay.
This was their evening hour when
nerves and muscles could be relaxed
after day spent in matching wits
with Death to the music of chattering
machine guns and watching flaming
collins hurtling from the sky.
A piano burst into skillful harmony
under the fingers OF player who
knew his instrument and his audience.
The hum Of talk died. but the lifting
notes Of the piano romped on to an
other accomplishments deep bass
note that rolled into the room through
the closed doors and windows. The
German guns before Verdun were
roaring their vesper song.
The music ended and an officer rose
to his feet at the head Of the table.
II think 1t is time for US to hear
from Lieut.. Luke" he began. He
stopped. smilingly, as shouted chorus
interrupted him.
Speech, Speech,-Get up and tell
us about 1t. Frank! MAKE him talk"
whooped the diners enthusiastically.
A score of hands hoisted a tall.
1.-the, protesting figure to the top of
the table. A flaming blush OF en-
barrassment blazed under tow-colored
hair.
Fellows" began n halting voice.
II haven't done anything except
what all of us are doing. You've
are all trying to get as many Huns
as we can before they get us. I've
been lucky--that's all there is to it."
The voice became suddenly firm.
They got Joe Wehner." it went
on. clearly now. And / shall make
them pay for that. There Is just one
thing | want you to know; II l am
brought down. they won't take me
alive"
The first pursuit group of the Amer
lean Expeditionary Force cheered its
ace Of aces in vast approval. The boy
had the stuff. but he wasn't swell
headed about II. they proclaimed to
each other joyfully. This dinner to
Luke was a great idea-whoever
started Ii.
I.ife-and death-moved swiftly in
those September days of 1918. Every
man at that table knew the grim
necessity of giving Frank Luke his
praise today; they knew that tomor.
row he might not be alive to accept
II. This blushing boy who had not get
cast his first vote looked as though he
would be more at home In the fresh.
man class of an American college than
daily dicing with death In the sky;
so did most of the other diners about
that table. His youth was not re.
markable in itself. Nearly all the
flyers were young. What was re-.
markabie was that so young lad
with SO little schooling in the art of
war could have done what he had
done.
An Unparalleled Achievement.
In less than two weeks he had flown
from comparative ob~curity among
the 1000 900 soldiers OF the American
Expeditionary Forces TO the unofficial
title OF American Ace OF Aces. To
win this coveted distinction he had
destroyed more of the enemy than had
any other of his hundreds Of flying
comrades In France. In one day he
had established record unequaled by
any OF the veteran flyers OF England.
France or Germany--a record that
was to stand unchailenged except by
his own later performance. Inventor
of new technique of aerial warfare
he had marked every mile OF the Yer.
dun front with the charred wrecks or
German planes and balloons sent
blazing to earth by his prowess
Let us leave the diners at their
feast In the shuttered hangar while