A Grandstand Seat : The American Balloon Service in World War I

The little-known American Balloon Service worked in combat to help direct artillery fire more accurately and provide essential intelligence on enemy troop movements during World War I. German use of observation balloons to direct artillery fire in August of 1914 forced the Allies to develop a similar force. With the U.S entry into the war in 1917, the balloon service, starting from scratch, evolved into an effective, disciplined fighting unit, one whose achievements are unfortunately overshadowed by those of the flying aces. Reminiscences from balloon veterans form the basis of this book, the first to picture life as a "gasbagger" in the three major American engagements of the war. Amazingly, life as an observer suspended in a wicker basket under an elephantine hydrogen balloon, proved less deadly than piloting an airplane. From his grandstand seat, the observer kept tabs on the war below him and telephoned vital information to headquarters command. These reports were often the only accurate intelligence available. Balloonists remember the war as a great adventure, one which many of them lived to tell about. Contents 8 Acknowledgments 10 Chapter 1 The Clock of Patriotism Strikes 12 Chapter 2 Battle Goes Skyward 18 Chapter 3 Learning the Ropes 26 Chapter 4 Goodbye Omaha 40 Chapter 5 The Americans Are Here! 48 Chapter 6 Where Do We Go from Here? 62 Chapter 7 Life in a Quiet Sector 72 Chapter 8 Annoying the Boche 88 Chapter 9 The Fighting Gets Real 100 Chapter 10 A Gypsy Life 132 Chapter 11 Time for Readjustment 146 Chapter 12 A Clockwork Operation 154 Chapter 13 Trying Stamina and Spirit 164 Chapter 14 Patience under Hardship 182 Chapter 15 Balloons Are Down! 198 Notes 206 Bibliography 222 Index 230 A 230 B 231 C 232 D 233 E 233 F 233 G 234 H 234 I 235 J 235 K 235 L 235 M 235 N 236 O 236 P 236 Q 236 R 237 S 237 T 237 U 238 V 238 W 238 X 238 Y 238 Z 238 Photographic essay to follow page 98 109 Bogens tema er den amerikanske ballonpark under 1. Verdenskrig. Balloner blev bl.a. anvendt til ledelse af ild fra artilleri og morterer og i den taktiske efterretningstjeneste til målopklaring. Også den tyske hær anvendte balloner til samme formål. Altså et nyt våben på slagmarken, som krævede udvikling af modvåben til dets bekæmpelse f.eks. luftværnsartilleri og fly Eileen F. Lebow. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [189]-195) And Index.