Frank Luke Jr. American fighter ace credited with 19 aerial victories: LUKE AIR FORCE BASE Arizona

LUKE AIR FORCE BASE
AIR SHOW 2024
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Luke Air Force Base is named for the Phoenix native and first aviator to be awarded the Medal of Honor - 2nd Lt Frank Luke Jr.
1918
MEDAL OF HONOR ACTION PLACE: NEAR MURVAUX, FRANCE
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 eight German planes which were protecting the enemy balloon line, he unhesitatingly attacked and shot down in flames three 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 six 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.
Frank Luke Jr. was an American fighter ace credited with 19 aerial victories, ranking him second among United States Army Air Service pilots after Captain Eddie Rickenbacker during World War I. Luke was the first airman to receive the Medal of Honor and first USAAS ace in a day.
The F-35 is more than a fighter jet, it's a powerful force multiplier with advanced sensors and communications suites operating close to the battlefield and from an elevated position significantly enhancing the capabilities of networked airborne, maritime, space, surface and ground-based platforms.
Get your flight gear on and prepare to be dazzled with the long-awaited return of the Luke Days air show, the first one since 2018. The every-other-year air show was canceled in 2020 and 2022 because of the pandemic.
If you're saying to yourself "airplanes aren't really interesting to me" you might want to reconsider. Experiencing military and stunt planes doing amazing flips, turns, nosedives and more in perfect unison is a thrilling way to spend an afternoon.