Frank Luke Jr.

Second Lieutenant · U.S. Army Air Forces

U.S. Army Air Corps, 27th Aero Squadron, 1st Pursuit Group, Air Service

29 September 1918 · Murvaux, France

Public domain. Unknown author Unknown author Source file

Branch: U.S. Army Air Forces
Era: World War I
Home state: Arizona
Action: Murvaux, France

The citation

Official 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.

Sources

U.S. Army Medal of Honor citation index
Wikipedia. Linked only. The article text is not copied here.