DALE MABRY MILITARY SERVICE

Dale registered for the WW1 draft on Jun. 5, 1917 and immediately thereafter joined the Army.  At the time he was living at 207 Cardy in Hyde Park; his brother Giddings' home.  Dale was president & sales manager of Mabry & Owens Co. and corporate manager of Mabry Realty Co., employed by its officers.

DALE MABRY WW1 DRAFT REGISTRATION CARD

OFFICERS BOOT CAMP
 

On Aug. 25, 1917 Dale and 13 other Tampa men were sent to Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., on a train that picked up more men between Tampa and Jacksonville along the way.  The muster roll of the 9th Infantry ROTC at Ft. Oglethorpe of Aug 31st, 1917 lists Dale as arriving on Aug. 26, 1917.

The Dec. 27, 1917 Tampa Tribune reported that "word was received from Giddings Mabry stating that his brother, Lieut. Dale Mabry, has arrived safely 'somewhere in France' ...having been assigned to the signal corps for active service in France."

ABOUT THE 10TH BALLOON CO. from Dept. of the Air Force Organizational Histories, presented here in the green sections. DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE UNIT HISTORIES, Created: 15 Feb 2014  Sources: US Army Order of Battle 1919-1941. Steven E. Clay. Combat Studies Institute Press. US Army Combined Arms Center. Fort Leavenworth, KS. Nd.

LINEAGE

B Co, 4 Squadron organized November 13, 1917 Redesignated 10th Balloon Company

COMMANDERS

Lt Koenig, Lt Palmer, 27 Nov 1917,  Lt Henske, 18 Jan 1918,  Lt Lavers, 4 Apr 1918 1, Lt Dale Mabry, 25 Jul 1918

OPERATIONS

The company was organized November 13, 1917, at Fort Omaha, Nebr., with Lt. Koenig commanding. On November 27, 1917, Lt. Palmer assumed command, Lt. Koenig being transferred to a unit proceeding overseas. January 18, 1918, the enlisted strength of the company was increased from ninety-one to two hundred men, with Lt. Henske replacing Lt. Palmer as Commanding Officer.

The first week in February orders were received to move to Camp Morrison, Virginia. On February 6th Company B boarded the train bound for Camp Morrison. Three days later, February 9th, the company arrived at Camp Morrison.

We embarked on the U. S. T. America on June 29, 1918. The thermometer was hovering around a hundred or more, but not a man fell by the way, side or dropped out en route. At 5:30 p.m. the company was lined up at the pier ready to board and in short time were started across the gang plank, onto the Steamship America, a name sufficient to stir up plenty of sentiment. After getting on board it was found out that the ship was an old Italian liner, manned by an Italian crew; sentiment somewhat dropped. At 7 the same evening the ship slipped down the river to the lower bay and lay at anchor until the following afternoon at 4:30 p.m. when the anchor was pulled in and the ship started down the bay.  Newport News does not have a Statue of Liberty, but still, the receding shores of the United States of America was sufficient statue of Liberty to give all the attendant thrills at the thought of leaving home and country.

The next morning at sunrise several other transports hove into sight, gathered together in a convoy, and were joined by a fleet of light destroyers and a portion of the mosquito fleet. At noon several other transports and a cruiser joined the transports, completing the convoy. (Dale Mabry was probably on board one of these.)   Although the sea was calm end the weather excellent, many of the men took to their hammocks early in the day. Nothing special happened the next few days until after the fourth day out, the escorting cruiser let go of a terrific broadside followed by several more shots. Every one rushed to see to the submarine but when the smoke cleared away Old Glory was floating out on the breeze from the main mast of the cruiser and one by one the transports raised the flag-- it was the Fourth of July. The remainder of the voyage was very uneventful, in fact, decidedly monotonous especially with the orders at night "Lights out; no smoking."

Early in the morning on July 11th, fifteen American destroyers met the convoy as the cruiser that escorted the convoy all the way across returned. On Friday, July the l2th, at 6:00 in the evening, land was sighted. No one knew just where the convoy was expected to land so rumor was rife as to the port of debarkation. The question was settled that evening when the ship anchored in the bay of Brest. At 9:00 the next morning lighters came out and the company was taken to shore.

After the company had all come ashore it was marched to the outskirts of Brest to a rest camp known as Pontaten Barracks, supposedly at one time headquarters of Napoleon and his troops.  During a short stay at this rest camp Dr Pryor, the company surgeon, earned undying fame with the company when he ordered all men out at two o'clock in the morning to take a bath; the water was cold, the night colder. On July 16; the enlisted strength of the company was reduced to one hundred and seventy men, the men transferred out of the company being sent to the Balloon School, Camp de Souge.

We arrived at our training camp, Camp de Meucon, July 17, where we were taught "how the French do it." On July 25 Lt. Mabry assumed command, relieving Lt. Lavers.

Our first night was spent in rat and "cootie" infested old French barracks. The next morning, because it was still raining, there were no big guns firing. We were very much surprised that things could be so quiet up, there. Fortunately the trip lasted only one day, the train arriving at Vannes at 9 the next morning. Trucks carried the company to a camp 12 kilometers away; quite an unattractive place, quite inviting after the box cars and the French trains with their shrike whistles.

At this camp training began for active service on the front; everything taught in the States had to be relearned for as one man wrote home in his letter, everything is changed, we have to learn everything over again except how to handle the pick and shovel. The company was put through daily drills, taught the use of gas masks how to use helmets.  Special selected men were sent to various schools for training, lectures were given on ballooning on the front, tactical disposition of the balloon, building of balloon and everything else connected with the proper handling of balloons. 

During all this time the company had absolutely no transportation of any kind or description so the first week in August, Lt. Lavers was sent away with orders to get our allotment of transportation. On Aug. 14 he came back with 7 Kelly Springfield trucks, 3 Fords and one old Martini touring car that had been rescued from the salvage pile and coaxed all the way across France. The transportation has survived to date in spite of the most strenuous use.

On Aug. 24 orders for duty at the front were received, equipment was packed, everything gotten in readiness and on Aug. 26th the company left camp for Toul this time traveling in regular third class coaches and not box cars.  We arrived at Toul early on the morning of Aug. 30. As the company was bound for the zone of advance all traveling had to be accomplished at night as the company layover in Toul until evening. The night was as black as pitch, lights of any kind meant aerial bombs galore. The sensation of nearing the actual front where the fighting was going on gave sufficient incentive for compliance with any order regarding safety of lives. Along about midnight the road became crowded with vehicles of all kinds, guns, transports, of every description. Darkness everywhere except in the distance where the shells were bursting in the air.

The truck drivers were all tense and nervous, this was their first experience driving trunks at night without lights and over strange roads; the men were all keyed up to high pitch. Suddenly without warning there was a terrific bombarding up ahead a few kilometers, shells wont screeching bombs bursting and bullets flying and the whole sky lighted up for miles around; ammunition dump had been fired by the Boche shells. This meant a wide detour to avoid the bursting shells so it was nearly three in the morning before the company finally arrived at the place to be set for the camp. Just after noon on September 1 we were brought to a nearer realization of the war when a big Hun shell fell and exploded about two hundred meters from the Camp. Half the company started on the run to get souvenirs, the other half did their running towards-their gas masks, and tin derbies. No more shells fell nearby, so it was a fifty-fifty proposition between those who were so anxious to procure souvenirs and those who played "safety first.

Just after noon on Sep. 1 we were brought to a nearer realization of the war when a big Hun shell fell and exploded about two hundred meters from the Camp. Half the company started on the run to get souvenirs, the other half did their running towards their gas masks, and tin derbies. No more shells fell nearby, so it was a fifty-fifty proposition between those who were so anxious to procure souvenirs and those who played "safety first."

At 4.30 a. m., on Sep. 4, and after balloon 146 was taken from the bed and adjusted to the winch, two observers climbed into the basket. The balloon rose to 300 meters and the journey to the forward position began, we had just left the forward position to bring the big gas bag back to its bed, because of poor visibility, when five enemy planes made their appearance. They looked things over but flew away without making any attempt to shoot down our balloon because the anti-aircraft batteries began pegging away at them.

The balloon was taken from the bed again at 12.30 p.m., and we journeyed back to the forward position. The bag was at about 500 meters altitude when the corporal of the lookouts reported he heard the humming motor of an-enemy plane. The balloon was ordered to be "hauled down." It was' descending rapidly when at an altitude of about 350 meters an enemy plane dove at it from the clouds. The machine gunners opened fire and as the first clip in their guns started to spit, several anti-aircraft batteries opened up and the battle was on.

Both observers, Lieutenants Likens and Boyd, 'jumped and" their parachutes carried them through the heavy barrage to a safe landing in a nearby field. In his first and second attempts to fire the gas in the balloon, the Boche failed but his third attempt was successful and the balloon fell to the ground a mass of flames. The enemy turned towards their own lines and by doing a number of spectacular stunts escaped the barrage. When we last saw them, they were crossing our lines closely pursued by two "Spades," trying to "sit on his tail." Infantry observation posts reported that the enemy's plane came to earth behind their lines "out of control."

An article in the Tampa Tribune of Jul. 15, 1919 says Dale took part in the battles at Saint-Mihiel and Argonne, remaining there through the end of the war.

The Battle of Saint-Mihiel

The Battle of Saint-Mihiel was a major World War I battle fought from 12 to 16 Sep.1918, involving the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) and 110,000 French troops under the command of General John J. Pershing of the United States against German positions. The U.S. Army Air Service played a significant role in this action.

The next morning, during a heavy wind, our balloon took a "nose dive" into the trees, destroying the balloon and throwing both observers out of the basket. Lt. Likens escaped uninjured but Lt. Boyd received injuries so severe that he was subsequently invalided home. We immediately procured a new balloon, inflated it, and started forward the next night. We moved each night under cover of darkness along roads all shell torn and terribly congested with all sorts of traffic going forward ammunition and food for the infantry; ammunition, food-and forage for the artillery, and reserve troops.

Our last move took us into the woods 2 kilometers south of Essay and this was our position until September 21. While in these Essay woods, we received our first real taste of shell fire. A German battery of 105s opened up about midnight and immediately a company race towards the old German dugout was on. No fatalities resulted but there were a number of narrow escapes racing around corners and plunging into the trenches leading into the dugouts. About thirty shells fell, two so close that dirt was thrown around our tents from their bursting.

At the start of World War I, the organization of the Air Service of the American Expeditionary Force included observation balloon units organized into companies, squadrons, and wings and each company was equipped with one balloon. Five companies comprised a squadron, and three squadrons made up a wing. By the end of the war 110 companies had been created. In the field Balloon companies were allotted to the ground units they supported as needed. In 1918 June, with squadron organization discontinued, company designations were numbered and organized into groups. Only 35 companies made it to France with the American Expeditionary Force (AEF). 17 companies served at the front, making 1,642 combat ascensions, while six other groups were en route to the front at the armistice.

American observation balloon service in World War 1.

We remained at this position until the signing of the Armistice and during our stay there, the Boche aviators were successful in burning two of our balloons. On the first of these occasions, Sep. 25, Lt. Lavers jumped, and on the second, Oct. 6, Lt. Likens made his second drop at the Front.

We took part in several demonstrations here, compelling the Germans to hold heavy reserves in this Sector as our aid to the Americans that were making the drive along, the Argonne. Infantry observers reported a big fire within the German lines one night and we received orders to fly the balloon at once. Two observers went up and after several hours working in a heavy rain that made accurate observation next to impossible the balloon was hauled down.

The observers reported the fire was in Noveant, a small town south of Metz, and that it had probably been caused by our artillery, which, assisted by our balloon, had shelled the Noveant Bridge that afternoon. It was while we were at Jezainville that the "dugout slide" was invented and we found our helmets were not surplus weight as they had been back in the S.O.S., for the big shells whizzed and rumbled overhead frequently.

The company had completed all plans for taking part in the long expected drive on the fortress of Metz, scheduled to begin on the morning of November 12, but instead of a victorious advance, the Armistice was signed, and as far as the company was concerned, the world relapsed into a period of prolonged silence, a silence unbroken by the roar of huge guns, the scream of Boche shells, and the hum of Boche planes, a silence which persists to this day, even as the Tenth Balloon Company sinks deeper and deeper into the bottomless mud of Ville-sur-Cousances".

Arrival in France 12 Jul 1918
Arrival at the front 30 Aug 1918

ABOUT THE 10TH BALLOON CO. from Dept. of the Air Force Organizational Histories, presented here in the green sections. DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE UNIT HISTORIES, Created: 15 Feb 2014
Sources: US Army Order of Battle 1919-1941. Steven E. Clay. Combat Studies Institute Press. US Army Combined Arms Center. Fort Leavenworth, KS. Nd.

Read this account in its entirety at USAF Unit History website. Some information presented here has been omitted, and some has been edited for clarity.

THE END OF THE WAR

World War 1 came to an end with the Armistice of Nov. 11, 1918, ending the fighting on land, at sea, and in the air between the Allies and their last remaining opponent, Germany.

Dale was was stationed at Meucon until he was transferred to the American Expeditionary Force at Ville-sur-Cousances in Dec. 1918 where he continued as 1st. Lieut. commanding the 10th Balloon Co. This was located about 27 miles northwest of Saint-Mihiel in the northeast of France, which today is about 48 miles from the border with Luxembourg and Germany.

DALE MABRY TRANSFERRED
 

The Feb. 28, 1919 roster of the 10th Balloon Co. lists four 1st Lieutenants but Dale is not among them.  Their captain is listed first--Oscar Roman. This is the first roster to list a captain in the company.

The Mar. 31, 1919 roster of the 10th Balloon Co. lists Captain Samuel T. Moore and 3 first Lieutenants, none are Mabry. The page lists the captain, 5 First Lieutenants, a 2nd Lieut., 2 master Electricians, 12 Sergeants 1st Class, 10 Sergeants,  14 Corporals,  4 Chauffeurs 1st Class, 17 Chauffeurs, and 3 cooks.

The next page begins  with "Privates (cont'd)" listing 9 Privates in alpha order of last name, from V to W.  Clearly at least one page is missing between the 1st and 2nd pages. It would have listed the Privates from A to V.   Below this, it lists Medical personnel, a corporal and 2 privates.  Then titled LOSSES DURING THE MONTH it lists 1st Lt. Dale Mabry transferred on the 15th, but it does not give the month or year anywhere on the page nor does it show where he was transferred. SEE THIS PAGE.  More men are listed as either transferred or dropped.  Next is the page which appears to have been the first page of March 31, 1919.  Listing all the ranks and names, ending with Privates First Class and 5 men of surnames starting with B, C, and E.

In May 1919 the 10the Balloon Company was demobilized but it would be reinstated four months later.

Dale arrived in Tampa on Jul. 14, 1919.   A Jul. 15, 1919 Tribune article (at left) says he arrived from Washington  "where he received his discharge"..

A Jul. 15, 1919 Times article (below) said he was on leave of absence and would have to return to camp "in a few days where he hopes to receive his discharge right away."  But Dale had already been discharged on July 5, 1919.  Another Tribune article on the same day (below) gives a brief summary of his service in France; he "went into the St. Mihiel assault with the Yankee flyers" finishing with them through the Argonne Battle. His duty was for balloon surveilance, not as a combat pilot of a plane.  His military service card presented above shows he was discharged Jul. 5, 1919.

• DALE MABRY PROMOTED TO CAPTAIN AT LANGLEY FIELD, VA.

• INTERNATIONAL BALLOON RACE

• AIRSHIP MANEUVERS AT LANGLEY AIR FIELD - THE AIRSHIP ZODIAC

• THE PRELIMINARY BALLOON CONTEST

• THE ITALIAN SEMI-RIGID DIRIGIBLE ROMA

• DALE MABRY IN ITALY & THE AIRSHIP ROMA

• TEST FLIGHTS OF THE ROMA IN ITALY

• OFFICERS & THE "SERGEANTS FIVE" OF THE ROMA

• ITALY AWARDS MABRY ORDER OF THE KNIGHTHOOD OF THE CROWN

• ROMA'S VOYAGE FROM ITALY TO LANGLEY

• RE-ASSEMBLY OF THE ROMA

• TWO TEST FLIGHTS AND CHRISTENING OF THE ROMA

• ROMA COMMAND PASSED TO DALE MABRY

• DIAGRAM OF THE ROMA'S INTERIOR

• ROMA'S ITALIAN ENGINES REPLACED BY AMERICAN LIBERTY ENGINES

• THE FALL OF THE ROMA - FIRST FLIGHT TO TEST NEW ENGINES

• TWO VERSIONS OF THE LAUNCH

• THE FINAL FATAL MOMENTS

• THE CRASH SITE - PHOTOS

• SURVIVORS AND VICTIMS

• MEMORIALS AND FUNERALS

• THE CRASH INQUIRY AND CONCLUSIONS

• THE AFTERMATH

• ROMA MONUMENTS

• ROMA HISTORICAL MARKER

• PROCEEDINGS OF THE U.S. NAVY - THE ROMA CHRISTENING AND DISASTER

• A SONG "TO CAPTAIN MABRY"

• DALE MABRY HIGHWAY DEDICATED