The Greatest Medal of Honor Stories Ever Told by Tom McCarthy

Author:Tom McCarthy
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781493031733
Publisher: Lyons Press
Published: 2018-02-21T00:00:00+00:00

Luke was soon back at headquarters.

“Aren’t you back early?” Hartney asked him.

“Yes, sir.”

Why?”

“There wasn’t anything to do,” Luke replied.

The exotic and enchanting City of Lights, the vibrant rush of revelers along gaslit cobblestone streets, kiosks and cafes, the music, the wine, the beautiful women . . . none of it had appealed to Frank Luke.

Luke remained grim and silent, his eyes containing that vacant look that a future generation of warriors would term “the thousand-yard stare.” Joe Wehner’s death changed Frank for the short time that he himself had left on earth. A twenty-one-year-old had been trained and commissioned and given a speedy pursuit plane to fly, and his resulting sense of invincibility seemed to have dissipated when Joe Wehner was killed.

Shortly after returning to the 27th Squadron, Frank received a telegram.

WE ARE PROUD. GOD BLESS YOU—MAMA

The cat was out of the bag, so to speak. Luke mentioned to a friend that he told his mother that aviation was the safest branch of the service. On the night of Joe Wehner’s death, he had said to Hartney, “My mother doesn’t know I’m on the front yet.”

On September 25, 1918, Frank penned a short explanation to Tillie Luke in Phoenix.

Dear Mother,

I have not written for some days now on account of being so busy, as no doubt you have already heard. This is only a line to let you know that I am O.K. Now, Mother, remember that I have passed the dangerous stages of being a new hand at the game, so don’t worry, for I now know how to take care of myself.

Love to all,

Frank

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