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Lightning-Viper Legend Vol 3 Issue 3 Jul Sept 18 V1.2 WEB VERSION

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Lightning-Viper Legend Vol 3 Issue 3 Jul Sept 18 V1.2 WEB VERSION Luke Chapter Meetings Location: TBD Time: 11:30am ♦ Wed. October 17 ♦ Wed. November 21 ♦ Wed. December 19 Annual Retiree Appreciation Day Luke AFB - Sat Oct. 20 from 0800-1130 at the NOSC (Bldg 300). All retirees with base access are invited to come and learn more about our mission as well as get information about base services and benefits. 2 President’s Message 2018 Chapter Highlights from the third quarter Greetings to all Frank Luke Chapter members, Council community partners, active duty airmen, veterans, and President - Ed Logan citizen supporters of our great United States Air Force. 623-937-6633 (H) Well, they don’t call it The Valley of the Sun here in Maricopa County, Arizona for nothing. [email protected] Our scorching summer is finally over as of early October, but it did not stop your Chapter from Vice Pres. - Sharon Marvin participating in several key activities this past three months in support of the AFA mission. Here are some Sec.-Treasurer - Judy Logan quick highlights: The Traveling Viet Nam Wall came to nearby Surprise, AZ (Chapter VP/Aerospace Education & Community Partner) in July and we joined Luke AFB and local officials at VP/Membership - Harry Bailey the opening ceremonies. I then visited the Wall where the name of my VP/Communications & fellow Arizona State University Det. 25 AFROTC alumnus Major Charles VP/Community Partners, M. Walling, former USAF pilot, deceased, resides. In August we were invited through the Luke AFB Community Outreach Luisa Bailey Program (known as P4 under the excellent direction of Ms. Valerie Berube, GS 13) to meetings with the nearby City of Tolleson, Arizona’s Union High Webmaster - Matt Ludwig School District. Superintendent Nora Gutierrez announced that a new military academy style high school is being built and Luke AFB, our AFA Newsletter Editor - Dave Swock Chapter, and our sister Civil Air Patrol unit will help the District craft the curriculum and support cadet activities going forward. See more details in Frank Luke Chapter Website the cover story. www.afaluke.org In September, I represented the Chapter at the annual AFA Air Space Cyber Conference in Washington, DC at the Gaylord National Convention Center where the business of the Association was conducted, and the Technology Exposition was held. Details have been sent to all AFA members in our various media. The biggest take away as told by both Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson and AFA President Larry Spencer was about the Air Force we have (too small for the mission) and the Air Force we need: up to 388 squadrons from our present 312. We held a Chapter awards dinner at a nearby Dillon’s Restaurant and gave out AFA national awards to our outstanding Chapter members for Join the Frank Luke their work and dedication to our AFA goals. Chapter discussions Congratulations to: through social media! Judy Logan, Exceptional Service Award Angelo Rossetti, Medal of Merit Dave Swock, Medal of Merit Finally, to close out the quarter Harry Bailey and I worked the sixth annual Stand Up for Veterans on September 22, held at Glendale Air Force Association Community College. At least 30 employers and other services for veterans Luke Chapter were on site. This was put on by the Glendale Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Committee (MAC). Harry and I are active members under the Luke AFB Chamber of Commerce membership. Please join us on Saturday, November 10, for the Thunderbird Park permanent American Flag Raising hosted by the MAC. See details at: LukeAFA glendalechamber.org/thunderbirdflag Keep them flying, Air Force Association Frank Luke Chapter Ed Logan, President Chapter News 3 100 years since 2nd Lt. Frank Luke, Jr. killed in action September 29, 2018 marked the 100 th anniversary of the death of Frank Luke, Jr. namesake of Luke Air Force Base. Frank Luke, Jr. was born on May 19, 1897, in Phoenix after his family emigrated from Germany to America in 1874. Frank was the fifth child of nine. Following America's entry into World War I in April 1917, Frank enlisted in the U.S. Signal Corps, Aviation Section on September 25, 1917 and attended pilot training in Texas and California. After being com- missioned a Second Lieutenant in March 1918, he deployed to France for further training. In July he was assigned to the 27th Aero Squadron. The 27th Aero Squadron was under standing orders to destroy Ger- man observation balloons. Because of this order, Luke, along with his close friend Lt. Joseph Wehner continually volunteered to attack these important targets although they were heavily defended by anti-aircraft units. The two pilots had a remarkable string of victories together with Luke attacking the balloons and Wehner flying protective cover. Wehner was killed in action on September 18, 1918, in a dogfight with Fokker D.VIIs which were attacking Luke. Luke then shot down two of these D.VIIs and two balloons. Between September 12 and September 29, Luke was credited with shooting down 14 German balloons and four airplanes. Luke achieved these 18 victories during just 10 sorties in eight days, a feat unsurpassed by any pilot in World War I. Luke's final flight took place during the first phase of the Meuse- Argonne Offensive on September 28, after achieving his 14th and 15th victories in his SPAD XIII. On September 29, Luke took off without authorization and flew to a forward airbase at Verdun. That evening Luke flew to the front to attack three balloons in the vicinity of Dun-sur-Meuse, six miles behind the German lines. He first dropped a message to a nearby U.S. balloon company, alerting them to observe his imminent attacks. Luke shot down the enemy balloons but was severely wounded by a single machine gun bullet. Luke landed in a field just west of the small village of Murvaux after strafing a group of German soldiers on the ground near the Ruisseau de Bradon. Although weakened by his wound, he made his way toward a stream intending to reach the cover of its adjacent under- brush but collapsed some 200 meters from his airplane. Approached by German infantry, mortally wounded Luke drew his Colt Model 1911 pistol and fired several rounds at his attackers before dying. On September 30 the Germans buried Luke in the Murvaux cemetery where his body was retrieved two months later by the American forces. His final resting place is the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery and Memorial, located east of the village of Romagne-sous-Montfaucon. Luke has been cited as the second-ranking American ace of World War I, second only to Eddie Rickenbacker among pilots serving with the AEF. Luke's time on the front was comparatively short and 17 of Luke's 18 victories were officially recorded as destroyed, versus only 11 of Rickenbacker's 26. Although Luke was still a Second Lieutenant at the time of his death he later re- ceived a posthumous promotion to First Lieutenant. Luke was awarded the Congres- sional Medal of Honor, the first pilot to receive this honor. Luke also received the Dis- tinguished Service Cross with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster. Eddie Rickenbacker said of Luke, "He was the most daring aviator and greatest fighter pilot of the entire war. His life is one of the brightest glories of our Air Service. He went on a rampage and shot down fourteen enemy aircraft, including ten balloons, in eight days. No other ace, even the dreaded Richthofen, had ever come close to that." 4 Chapter News Secretary of the Air Force visits Luke By SrA. Ridge Shan, 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson visited Luke Air Force Base on August 24, 2018 to familiarize herself with the F-35A training mission of the 56th Fighter Wing and meet with Airmen around the base. Wilson’s visit gave Luke’s Thunderbolts both an opportunity share the work they put into their mission to train the world’s great- est fighter pilots and combat-ready Airmen, and to learn Wilson’s vision for progress and continued development in the Air Force. “We have to have readiness in our force and job number one is people,” Wilson said. Wilson met with wing leadership to learn about Luke’s functions and capabilities, before visiting key facilities including the F-35 Aca- demic Training Center and the 63rd Fighter Squadron. Her visit also included a Town Hall during which she spoke about her priorities to enhance innovation in both technology and work processes, save money by maxi- mizing utility and efficiency, and encourage superior leadership development at the squadron level. “Both Gen. David Goldfein and I believe that the most impor- tant unit in the Air Force is the squadron,” Wilson said. “The culture of the Air Force is set at the squadron, which means we have to identify and develop leaders who are effective at that level.” Wilson believes that innovations like those found at Luke in the Lightning Integrated Technician experiment will be the key to continue to uphold the U.S. Air Force’s tactical and strategic superiority, while adher- ence to the Air Force core values will uphold the supe- rior discipline and effectiveness of its Airmen. “I want you to be driven by our values: integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do,” Wilson said. Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson receives a brief from Lt. Col. Curtis Dougherty, 63rd Fighter Squadron com- “We are mission-focused and people-oriented, but mander, about flight crew equipment and gear for F-35A. driven by our values, we will continue to be the finest USAF photo by SrA.
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