"TRIPLE ACE", FRANK LUKE JR., MEDAL OF HONOR, (LUKE AFB) ARIZONA - NAMESAKE

Description

UNIQUE CACHED COVER (FRONT & BACK)
HONORING MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT, WORLD WAR ONE U. S. ARMY AIR CORPS TRIPLE ACE PILOT, FRANK LUKE JR.
BORN IN PHOENIX 19 MAY, 1897. " LUKE AIR FORCE BASE" IN PHOENIX IS NAMED IN HIS HONOR. AFTER HAVING PREVIOUSLY DESTROYED A NUMBER OF GERMAN AIRCRAFT WITHIN SEVENTEEN DAYS, LUKE VOLUNTARILY STARTED ON A PATROL AFTER ENEMY OBSERVATION (INTELLIGENCE" BALLOONS. THOUGH PURSUED BY EIGHT (8) ENEMY PLANES WHICH WERE PROTECTING THE BALLOON LINE, HE UNHESITATINGLY ATTACKED AND SHOT DOWN THREE MORE BALLOONS, WHILE BEING HIMSELF UNDER FIRE FROM GROUND ARTILLERY BATTERIES AS WELL AS HOSTILE PLANES. HE WAS SEVERELY WOUNDED AND DESCENDED TO WITHIN FIFTY METERS OF THE GROUND FIRING ON ENEMY GROUND TROOPS, KILLING SIX AND WOUNDING MORE. FORCED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING, HE WAS SURROUNDED ON ALL SIDES BY THE ENEMY, WHO CALLED ON LUKE TO SURRENDER, BUT HE DREW HIS PISTOL AND DEFENDED HIMSELF GALLANTLY UNTIL HE FELL DEAD FROM ENEMY FIRE.
THE FRONT CACHET PICTURES 2ND LIEUTENANT FRANK LUKE JR., THE MEDAL OF HONOR STAMP, DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS, PURPLE HEART MEDALS, A SMALL PHOTO OF LUKE WITH HIS 'SPAD' AIRPLANE, AND THE "VETERANS WORLD WAR ONE" POSTAGE STAMP REPLICA
POSTAGE STAMP (replica). LUKE'S ARIZONA STATE FLAG ALSO PICTURED. THE COVER'S REVERSE IS  LUKE'S   M. O. H. CITATION.
ALL THE AFOREMENTIONED CONTAIN PERTINENT TEXT.
FRANKED WITH THE 'BI-PLANE AIRMAIL" STAMP, AND
CANCELED, "LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, GLENDALE, AZ, FEB. 26, 2019".
COVER IS UN-ADDRESSED AND 'POLY SLEEVE' ENCLOSED.
NICE, ATTRACTIVE AND INEXPENSIVE
SOUVENIR FOR THE MILITARY HISTORIAN.
USCS MEMBER # 11835, COVER # 4 OF 10. "TOP SARGE" CACHET.