Terror of the Autumn Skies

Press Kit Information

The American West stirs an iconic image of the rough and tumble men that tamed it.  The imagery of cowboys, horses, and epic gunfights are conjured each time it is mentioned.  Little has changed in 100 years in how we perceive the west and the men from there.  
 
In 1917 a young men strode out of the new state of Arizona to become the first American pilot to win the Congressional Medal of Honor.  He was the first person to win that honor from Arizona.  He is the only aviator to win the Medal of Honor while technically grounded by his commanding officer.  His spirit and determination lived up to the image we all share of the American West.  He was a bad boy, a wild child, who made good.  In one of the most horrific wars mankind had ever unleashed, he flew so fast, and into such furious combat that five of his aircraft had to be sidelined for repairs or scrapped outright.  His rise to become the American Ace of Aces was more meteoric than any other pilot before him, even the famed Red Baron.  
 
His name was Frank Luke Jr.  
 
In the 1920's and 30's his story had been crafted by writers who made him more than he was; writers who blew the story of his life and his death into an American legend.  They wrapped Frank in a flag-shrouded myth.  In this new book, Blaine Pardoe unearths a wealth of new archival material about the life of this incredible airman.  The myths of Frank Luke are set aside as we gain a new and exciting glimpse into the life of this truly American hero.  If you think you know the story of this incredible young man, you will learn more than ever before about him.  If you have never heard of Frank Luke, strap yourself in for an incredible ride.  
 
Why Write A Book On Frank Luke Jr.?
"After my last book on Count Felix von Luckner, I learned that stories like Frank's often were never really looked at from a fresh perspective.  Most accounts on Frank were written in the 1920's or based on materials from that time; and even then they were often fictionalized or never fully researched.  As I dug into the story of the life of Frank Luke Jr., I learned about the man, his family, his friends, and the one woman he loved until his death.  New facts emerged by going back to the primary sources.  In some cases the myth of Frank was shattered.  In other cases, it was only enhanced.

This is not a simple retelling from inaccurate books.  This book takes advantage of primary research and interviews at the time of the events that have not seen the light of day since the end of the Great War. 
 
We are at a time in our history when our heroes are celebrities, not people who accomplish great deeds.  Frank's story is compelling.  A simple high school graduate from the west, he rose to become the American Ace of Aces and front page news across the country.  His flame burned bright until his death in battle.  It is the kind of true story that inspires and compels and deserves to be told in its entirety. "
 
What New Things Have Your Unearthed?
"I was the first writer to track down Frank's fiancé's family and to interview them.  In finding them I discovered a love story that endured throughout the decades after his death during the war.  The story of Marie Jackson and the love they both shared until their deaths was something that I hadn't counted on finding but was glad that I had.   Through the letters she kept we really learned about Frank as a man, of his plans after the war, and the sacrifices he was willing to make to be with Marie.
 
"I really gathered a great deal of new information on the men around Frank, the turmoil in his squadron, and the diverse personalities and their motivations that impacted his life.  It really gives us a much more rounded picture of the events at the front in 1918.  
 
"Perhaps the most enlightening material I unearthed was a series of correspondence with the men around Frank's final flight.  Historian Royal Frey contacted and corresponded with the officer who commanded the Balloon Company that killed Frank, and gathered a number of important details that have not been published before.  In a series of five letters from the 1960’s, this officer provided a very clear and concise description of the events on the day of Frank’s infamous final flight.  At the same time I have obtained access to a number of personal accounts of the activities in the last few days of Frank's life."
 
What Changed About Your View of Frank Luke As A Result of Writing This Book?
"I thought I knew the story of Frank Luke.   Every writer thinks they know where the story is going to go.  I was wrong – pleasantly so.  I learned, much to my surprise, that these early chroniclers of Frank's story outright lied.  They falsified combat reports and incidents that simply didn't occur.  It was part of the style of writing in the 1920's to exaggerate these stories.  For years readers and other writers based what they knew about Frank on these falsehoods.  These bogus accounts often made the myth around Frank even more difficult to take on.   
 
"I had to trace the evidence back to its original sources.  What emerges is the facts about Frank's life.  Not speculation, not exaggeration, but the pure facts.  In this case, the reality proved more entertaining than the fictionalized accounts."

 
What did you learn about the Luke Family in writing this book?
"I got a chance to spend some time with John Luke, the families semi-official historian and was pleased that I unearthed new facts that even the family didn't know about their own past.  In all honesty, I was hoping to find some Civil War heroes or some other reference that would help explain Frank's predilection for heroic behavior.  
 
"What I found was a perfect example of a truly American family of German immigrants.  Frank's great grandmother traveled across the ocean with five children.  His grandfather fought in the Civil War, but his only real injuries came from falling off of a horse and an officer striking him on the head with his sword.  His great uncle who brought the family out west was a wild character that took part in four separate Indian massacres.  Frank's uncle killed a woman of ill-repute and spent time in jail for his crime of passion.  I uncovered everything from murder to stagecoach robberies.  
 
"The Luke's were an important part of the history of the Arizona territory but they were not destined to lay the foundation for Frank's meteoric rise as a pilot.  What they did represent was a true American story of hardship, success, and perseverance. "

What Will Readers Enjoy The Most?

“This is the story of the life of Frank Luke, not an expose’ about his death.  It is told in his own words, from his letters to family, friends and loved ones.  It is told from the perspective of those people around him.  I like to think that with this book, readers are going to get a real glimpse into who this man is.  While we will never know all of the truth, I don’t think anyone will find themselves left unfulfilled after reading the book. 

“Readers are going to get to learn more about the life of Joe Wehner and Ivan Roberts, Frank’s wingmen.  Wehner has been explored a great deal in the past.  This book will add new details to his life and for the first time will provide some depth to “Ivan the Missing” Roberts. 

“For people out there that think they know the story of Frank Luke Jr., this will be a wealth of new information and details.”