The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1918-02-12
'BALLOONIST IS
EYES and EARS
OF The Army
WatChfuI Observers Note Every
Activity of Enemy.
keep GENERAL STAFF POSTED

Usual Routine of Enemy Is Known
and Any Departure From This
Schedule Is Cause for Suspicion
Men Selected as Observers Must
Have Physical Endurance and Acute
Vision.
(By Captain In the Aviation Corps. }
Hardly train moves within five
miles back Of the German trenches or
"a squadron of men come up for relief,
or digging begun on new series of
|emplacements but pair of keen eyes,
steadily watching from great observa-
t1on balloons just behind the allied
front, takes notice Of it. Every move
ment every activity, Is registered I'M
i'll schedule Of the usual enemy rou-
tine is built up and the average amount
of motion known. Any departure from
this schedule is suspicious. A train
running late or with more cars than
usual, men in the trenches being re-
Neved too frequently, new roads or
emplacements being built too earnest
~, give the first hint that "Fritz,"
across the line, is up to something.
A keen balloonist notes any of these
changes, and at once telephones down
to the ground, can extra train Of six
cars passed -- at ten-forty." Half
q mile farther down the line another
pair of eyes reports, Large convoy
moving up to front, range so-and-so."
Still little farther down another sus-
picious circumstance is noted, until the
general staff down below, assembling
all these straws, foresees the beginning
of a big offensive across the line. Coun-
ter measures are taken, batteries d.
rected, conveys and trenches smashed
up, and the enemy's plans thrown
askew.
Possibly, however, the offensive is
to come from the balloonist's own side.
The observer ascends with full knowl-
edge Of all the details Of action, en-
boldened probably to move up much
nearer the German lines than usual, in
the belief that the enemy's artillery
will be driven off, The opening bonn
bardment is time Of ceaseless and
vital work, spotting shot by shot,
watching for new enemy batteries to
open up, moving the barrage fire back
and forth with the advance of the
troops. Any error here may send the
steel wall into the observers own
troops or cost scores Of lives later by
failure to make complete demolition
of the enemy's defense.
Gets Parachute Ready.
"Hostile airplane overhead" Is apt
to break in through the telephone wire
at any moment A German aviator,
more adventurous than his fellows, is
swooping down, perhaps under pro-
tecting the cloud, in an attempt to put
out the ever-watchful eyes. The OBJ
server makes ready his parachute, the
machine guns on the ground below
click off a rain of lead at the invader,
and the windlass men start bringing
the big envelope to ground with all pos
sible speed. Perhaps the invader Is
driven off; perhaps the balloon is
stricken into flames and the balloonist
forced to parachute to the ground. In
either case it is all part of the days
work which adds adventure and ro-
nance to the responsible work done by
the balloonist. M
Such is, brief1y-very briefy-the
duty and work of the balloon observer.
Calm, patient, ever watchful, he rides
far above the ground as the great en-
Velope sways on its long cable. Hours
pass, perhaps, but finally, as inevitably |
as fate, the reward comes. A single |
flash, slight movement across the
nd o1o Of hn
man eagle reveals itself for the allied
artillerymen beneath.
The vital Importance and develop
ment Of this work has hardly as yet
been suspected in this country. "Over
there" balloon observation has become
a science which, while perhaps less
spectacular than airplane observation,
is none the less essential. The bal
loonist, riding steadily for hours at
before him, and in direct telephone
communication with the ground, with
his batteries, and with other balloons,
q maze Of details and accu-
rate knowledge which his more vicari-
Gus and Ionger-winged air brother cam
not hope to secure.
Used in NapoIeonic Wars.
The first use Of balloons in warfare
dates way back to the Napoleonic
wars, when France employed them
against Austria. So revolutionary was
The procedure, however, that all cap
-ured observers were treated as spies
~ the enraged Austrians. During the
Civil war in this country Northern OBJ
servers looked out across the Potomac
rom near Washington at the Confed-
crates, and gained very valuable in
formation, though under very precarf-
JUS circumstances. France further de-
yeloped the art in the war of 1870
against Germany, who later took 1t
ID on a much more ambitious scale In
Ter Zeppelins The science fell upon
lack times, however, as did that of
,irpanes, and the war departments
'eports Of few years back are full Of
,rief statements that no work was
1or~ T., ho11oopiuc foy. 10 rlx NJ fup6a