Mesa in Maricopa County, Arizona — The American Mountains (Southwest)

Lt. Frank Luke, Jr.

Photographed by Michael Herrick, April 5, 2017

1. Lt. Frank Luke, Jr. Marker

Inscription. Commemorative Air Force
Arizona Military Aviation
Walk of Honor
Proudly Recognizes
Lt. Frank Luke, Jr.
1897 — 1918
The Arizona Balloon Buster Lieutenant Frank Luke, Jr. became “The Arizona Balloon Buster” of WWI. Flying with the 27th Aero Squadron, in nine days of combat spanning a 17-day period he shot down 14 German observation balloons and four airplanes to become the ranking ace of the U.S. Army. The 21-year-old Phoenician was killed in a legendary mission on September 29, 1918, but at war’s end ranked as second among AEF aces and third among all Americans of the Great War. He was the first Army pilot to receive the Medal of Honor. February 2012

Erected 2012.

Topics. This memorial is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • War, World I.

Location. 33° 27.154′ N, 111° 44.128′ W. Memorial is in Mesa, Arizona, in Maricopa County. It is at the intersection of N. Greenfield Road and E. McKellips Road, on the right when traveling north on N. Greenfield Road. Located at the Commemorative Air Force Museum at Falcon Field Airport. Touch for map. Memorial is at or near this postal address: 2017 N Greenfield Road, Mesa AZ 85215, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this memorial is in Arizona’s Sonoran Desert,

in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area,

and in the Tohono O’odham Nation.

It is also in the American Southwest.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the Gadsden Purchase,

and Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 15 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Major Frederick E. Ferguson (here, next to this

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

marker); Arizonan Women Airforce Service Pilots – WASP (here, next to this marker); BGen. Joseph J. Foss (here, next to this marker); Arizonan Tuskegee Airmen (here, next to this marker); Sergei I. Sikorsky (here, next to this marker); Dr. S. Harry Robertson III (here, next to this marker); Rear Admiral Walter Lewis Chatham, USN (Ret) (here, next to this marker); MGen Barry Morris Goldwater, USAFR (here, next to this marker); General Seth Jefferson McKee, USAF (Ret.) (here, next to this marker); Colonel Bruce Perry Crandall U.S. Army (Ret.) (a few steps from this marker); Captain Ted Elvans Lines (AAF) (a few steps from this marker); 1st Lieutenant Ralph Ambrose O’Neill (a few steps from this marker); Barrett Tillman (a few steps from this marker); Major Gen Carl G. Schneider, USAF (Ret) (a few steps from this marker); Rear Admiral Hugh Dennis Wisely (USN, ret) (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Mesa.

Also see . . .

Photographed by Michael Herrick, April 5, 2017

2. Lt. Frank Luke, Jr. Marker

1. Commemorative Air Force Museum. (Submitted on April 18, 2017, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.)
2. Frank Luke on Wikipedia. (Submitted on April 18, 2017, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.)

Lt. Frank Luke, Jr. Grave Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Don Morfe, July 12, 2008

3. Lt. Frank Luke, Jr. Grave Marker

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.

Markers at the Commemorative Air Force Museum image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Michael Herrick, April 5, 2017

4. Markers at the Commemorative Air Force Museum

Credits. This page was last revised on June 27, 2023. It was originally submitted on April 18, 2017, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut. This page has been viewed 572 times since then and 37 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 18, 2017, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut. 3. submitted on April 19, 2017, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. 4. submitted on April 18, 2017, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.