1918: Lt Frank Luke (17th Aero Squadron) shot down his first balloon. When he died 17 days later, with 18 balloons and airplanes to his credit, he became the first Army aviator to receive the Medal of Honor. Lt Luke’s legacy resurfaced in the form of a call sign. During the 4 February 2023 shootdown of a rogue Chinese balloon, the inflight call signs used by the F-22 pilots were “Frank 01 & 02” and “Luke 01 & 02.”
