In the seven years since the Army had adopted the M1911, the Colt had seen limited combat use. Fred Smith, a battalion commander in the 77th, both earned their nation’s highest award in actions involving John M. Private Frank Gaffney of the 27th Infantry Division and Lt. Luke was not the only member of the American Expeditionary Force to use the M1911 that day. After the Great War, which ended six weeks later, he received a posthumous Medal of Honor. Moments later Luke was dead, Colt in hand, a long way from the reality of Phoenix and the heritage of Tombstone. When he thought he heard movement in the brush near a stream, he fired three rounds.
But Luke, the hot-headed aviator, was in no mood to surrender. Members of the German garrison grabbed their Mausers and advanced toward the SPAD. The 21-year-old Arizonan was expert with the Model of 1911 U.S. Losing blood and alone behind enemy lines, he hefted the Colt and perhaps took comfort from its familiar weight. But now, wounded by German anti-aircraft fire, he landed his SPAD fighter, climbed from the cockpit, drew his service pistol, and chambered the first round. He had enjoyed a record string- 18 enemy aircraft destroyed in as many days. Second Lieutenant Frank Luke had taken off against orders and undoubtedly would be court-martialed upon return to the 27th Aero Squadron, but that was far from his mind. The blazing remains of three German observation balloons had barely settled to earth when their assailant force-landed in the gathering dusk.
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