Photograph as originally submitted to this page in the Historical Marker Database www.HMdb.org. Click on photo to resize in browser. Scroll down to see metadata.

Photographer: Don Morfe
Taken: July 12, 2008
Caption: Lt. Frank Luke, Jr. Grave Marker
Additional Description: He is buried in Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, (Plot A, Row 26, Grave 13)Lorraine, France. His Medal of Honor information and citation is: *LUKE, FRANK, JR.(Killed in Action) • Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Corps, 27th Aero Squadron, 1st Pursuit Group, Air Service • Place and date: Near Murvaux, France, 29 September 1918 (Air Mission) • Entered service at: Phoenix, Ariz. • G.O. No.: 59, W.D., 1919 Citation: After having previously destroyed a number of enemy aircraft within 17 days he voluntarily started on a patrol after German observation balloons. Though pursued by 8 German planes which were protecting the enemy balloon line, he unhesitatingly attacked and shot down in flames 3 German balloons, being himself under heavy fire from ground batteries and the hostile planes. Severely wounded, he descended to within 50 meters of the ground, and flying at this low altitude near the town of Murvaux opened fire upon enemy troops, killing 6 and wounding as many more. Forced to make a landing and surrounded on all sides by the enemy, who called upon him to surrender, he drew his automatic pistol and defended himself gallantly until he fell dead from a wound in the chest.
Submitted: April 19, 2017, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland.
Database Locator Identification Number: p380740
File Size: 0.290 Megabytes

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