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, 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.
- 240 pages
- English
- PDF
- Available on iOS & Android
eBook - PDF
Table of contents
- Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Chapter 1 The Clock of Patriotism Strikes
- Chapter 2 Battle Goes Skyward
- Chapter 3 Learning the Ropes
- Chapter 4 Goodbye Omaha
- Chapter 5 The Americans Are Here!
- Chapter 6 Where Do We Go from Here?
- Chapter 7 Life in a Quiet Sector
- Chapter 8 Annoying the Boche
- Chapter 9 The Fighting Gets Real
- Chapter 10 A Gypsy Life
- Chapter 11 Time for Readjustment
- Chapter 12 A Clockwork Operation
- Chapter 13 Trying Stamina and Spirit
- Chapter 14 Patience under Hardship
- Chapter 15 Balloons Are Down!
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
- Photographic essay to follow page 98
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can cancel anytime from the Subscription tab in your account settings on the Perlego website. Your subscription will stay active until the end of your current billing period. Learn how to cancel your subscription
No, books cannot be downloaded as external files, such as PDFs, for use outside of Perlego. However, you can download books within the Perlego app for offline reading on mobile or tablet. Learn how to download books offline
Perlego offers two plans: Essential and Complete
- Essential is ideal for learners and professionals who enjoy exploring a wide range of subjects. Access the Essential Library with 800,000+ trusted titles and best-sellers across business, personal growth, and the humanities. Includes unlimited reading time and Standard Read Aloud voice.
- Complete: Perfect for advanced learners and researchers needing full, unrestricted access. Unlock 1.5M+ books across hundreds of subjects, including academic and specialized titles. The Complete Plan also includes advanced features like Premium Read Aloud and Research Assistant.
We are an online textbook subscription service, where you can get access to an entire online library for less than the price of a single book per month. With over 1.5 million books across 990+ topics, we’ve got you covered! Learn about our mission
Look out for the read-aloud symbol on your next book to see if you can listen to it. The read-aloud tool reads text aloud for you, highlighting the text as it is being read. You can pause it, speed it up and slow it down. Learn more about Read Aloud
Yes! You can use the Perlego app on both iOS and Android devices to read anytime, anywhere — even offline. Perfect for commutes or when you’re on the go.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app
Yes, you can access A Grandstand Seat by Eileen Lebow in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in History & Military & Maritime History. We have over 1.5 million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.