Richard E DesChenes epub The Insignia, Uniforms & Equipment of the U. S. Army Balloon Corps: 1917-1922: Second Edition

During WWI, the advantage on the battlefield was dictated by the information gathered by the observers in the hydrogen filled balloons of the Balloon Section of the U.S. Army Air Service: they were the forward air controllers of the day. The Balloon Section, or Balloon Corps, was one of the smallest groups on the battlefield during the war, and one that has been least reported about in history. My book is not about the activities of the Balloon Corps as a whole, but a descriptive compilation of the insignias, uniforms, and equipment, along with a general organizational history: which is generally mentioned in passing by most WWI aviation historians. There were only 285 rated balloon pilots in WWI, as compared to the more than 35,000 aeroplane pilots, which makes research on balloon pilots extremely difficult. My book contains hundreds of photos and descriptions that include: unique unit shoulder patches, wing badges, uniforms, Balloon Corps activities and related ephemera. There is an extensive reference bibliography; balloon company information; a short history of the Balloon Corps; a section on conservation; and notes about copies, fantasy pieces and fakes. To date, it is the most comprehensive collection of information on the WWI U.S. Army Balloon Corps between two covers.