|
V. |
Dale Mabry,
seventh child of Milton H. Mabry, Sr. & Ella Dale Bramlett
EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION
Dale Mabry was born March 22,** 1891 in
Tallahassee
during his father's first term as Supreme Court justice.
In 1890 Milton Sr, built a large home on a hill overlooking
Dade City, so Dale moved there by 1900 with his
family where he attended the public schools of Pasco County.
**Dale's WW1 draft registration and some military records that
provide his birth date, show March 27, 1891. His
application for a passport in 1921 shows March 22, 1891.
1900 CENSUS,
DADE CITY, PASCO COUNTY, FLA.
Dale was
9 years old and attending school. Below him, "Elyse"
was Eloise, the Mabry's only daughter.
In 1903 at the age of 10, Dale
moved with his parents to a home on Bayshore Blvd, due to
his father having joined Dale's oldest brother in his
private law practice. But upon the death of Dale's
mother in 1904, Milton decided to leave Tampa and serve as
Clerk of the Supreme Court in Tallahassee.
Moving there with his father, Dale continued his education
and Irene Washburne became his stepmother in 1906, Milton
having married her in Nov. 1906.
1910 CENSUS, TALLAHASSEE,
LEON CO., FLA.
Dale was 19 and
working as a clerk at the Capitol building The Mabrys were
living about 3 blocks north of the State Capitol.
Milton was recorded as being 52, but he was actually 59 to
turn 60 next month. This was his 2nd marriage,
indicated by the "M2," and he was a Clerk, Supreme Court.
Irene was recorded as 24, but she was actually 38. Her
tombstone shows she was born March 28, 1872. It's
possible that only Dale was home and may have provided the
information. This was Irene's first marriage, mother
of 1 child, 1 living. Milton & Irene's son Harton was
1 year old.
Dale then entered at the
Marion Military Institute in Marion, Ala. at the age of
17 in Sept. 1908. After a year, he returned to Tallahassee where he became a clerk at the Capitol
building and lived the life of a socialite attending
parties, dances, contests and playing games.
An Oct. 9, 1910 Florida
Times-Union (Jax) article printed in its "Tallahassee News"
section, "Mr. Dale Mabry, son of Hon. M. H. Mabry, left a
few days ago to enter Poughkeepsie." This
may have been the Riverview Military Academy at
Poughkeepsie where he would have prepared for college
and a career in business.
Several articles in the
Pensacola and Jacksonville papers of Dec. 1911 to Feb. 1912
mention Dale coming home several times to Tallahassee to
visit his parents while attending school in Atlanta.
The Atlanta Journal of Mar, 3, 1912, published "Dale
Mabry, who has been visiting his father, Judge Mabry of the
Supreme Court, left this week for Tampa where he will
study law with his brother." (Milton was a clerk of the
Supreme Court at this time, not a Justice.)
DALE MABRY IN REAL ESTATE
BUSINESS
But Dale wasn't coming to
Tampa to study law with his brother, as he had no legal
education. He came to join his brothers in the real
estate business. His first sale in the news was the sale
of property in early June 1912 for a lot in Suwanee Heights
to Robert Walden of the Tampa Hardware Co. This was quickly
followed by two more lots at the same development on June 15
and many more over the coming months.
In early Aug. 1912, Dale was
elected secretary of the Baracas class at a meeting at
the YMCA of Tampa. The Baracas was a newly formed
class of the First Baptist church, the members of which
resolved to do what they could to stop the Sunday operating
of shows and other amusements. They believed that the
running of amusement places on Sunday was unnecessary, a
violation of the Sabbath, and some thought was a violation
of the city and state laws.
Ironically, in Nov. 1912, Dale
sold 5 lots in Suwanee Heights, to two men, one being the
manager of the Alcazar and Bonita movie theaters. His
father's company, the Mutual Development Company, had opened
its new subdivision, "East Suwanee Heights." in early
December that year. Dale became highly
successful selling lots in Suwanee Heights as reports of his
sales appeared in just about every issue of the Times and
Tribune.
 The
Mabry Realty Co. served as the agents for Suwanee Heights,
while the Mutual Development Co. was the owner.
Dale continued to be mentioned
on the society page section as he often attending various
entertainments--luncheons, meetings, dances, picnics,
boating trips, weddings and parties.
The ad at right appeared almost
daily in the Tampa newspapers, until it changed to a
vertical format in Sep. 1913 with Dale as Sales Manager.
In Jan. 1915 the Tampa Real
Estate board voted to enter a float in the Gasparilla
parade, representative of the board and its objects. Dale
Mabry was appointed the chairman of the float committee.
Hugh C. Macfarlane was to appear in full Scottish regalia,
including a kilt. Dale was unanimously elected to choose a
young lady to occupy the seat of honor on the float and
determine the costs and manage the construction of it.
In the summer of 1915, Dale
traveled to Tallahassee to assist his father in conclusion
of his affairs, having announced his retirement as clerk of
the Supreme Court.
July 30, 1915 - SERIOUS AUTO
ACCIDENT INJURY, but which Mabry was it??
The July 31, 1915 Tampa Times
says it was Dale Mabry, the July 31, 1915 Lakeland Ledger
says it was G. E. Mabry.
MABRY "MEAT" IN "AUTO
SANDWICH" subtitled "REAL ESTATE MAN PINNED
BETWEEN TWO CARS."
Dale Mabry of
the Mabry Realty Co. drove a Henderson automobile with Mr.
& Mrs G. E Mabry and Mr.& Mrs. Trice to Lakeland
to attend a meeting at the Lakeland Baptist Church. From
this point on, only "Mr. Mabry" is referred to.
The car was parked in front of the church and when the
meeting was over, "Mr Mabry" came out to crank start the
car. Not realizing he had left the car in gear, the car
started forward, pinning Mr. Mabry between it and the
car parked in front of it. The cars proceeded 75 to
100 feet down the street with Mabry pinned between them,
ultimately stopping when the front car ran up on a sidewalk
and smashed into a telephone pole. People rushed to the cars
to find Mr. Mabry "seriously injured," and pulled the
Henderson back. Mr. Mabry stepped from between the two
machines and at the insistence of his brother, they called
on a doctor at the Kibler hotel. The physician found
no broken bones or internal injuries, and the party returned
to Tampa. With Mr. Mabry not having any broken bones
or internal injuries, and except for a little soreness, he
said he felt no effects of the experience. He showed
up for work at his office on time the next morning.
The July 31, 1915 Lakeland Ledger says it was G. E. Mabry
who was pinned. Read
about their version.
DALE MABRY THE BOWLER
In Tampa, Dale enjoyed bowling
on the Real Estate team in the Tampa leagues and was
quite a good bowler. These leagues played at the
"Lafayette alleys."
The Tribune's reporting is
deceptive, whether intended or not. For the Nov. 27
match, it claims Gonzalez had the high average, but that was
only for The Tampa Gas Co. team. Dale had a higher average.
For the Dec. 8 match against the
Tribune's team, it describes a rally by the Trib in the
final game, winning by 10 pins, and the "Sand Peddlers"
slumping after taking the first two. It fails to
mention that the Tribune lost the match by 190 pins.
It's likely that the pins were
reset manually by boys or young men, as mechanical pin
setters didn't begin to make their way into bowling alleys
until the early 1920s, and they weren't automatic.
Dale was also a competitive
tennis player, winning many tournaments, mostly in doubles.
DALE MABRY FIRES A PISTOL AT
MIDNIGHT
In early Oct. 1915
Dale is described as a "promoter," firing a pistol at
midnight to mark the start of lot sales in a new subdivision
in the Seminole Heights and Suwanee Heights section--Avalon
Heights. Buyers then raced to the lot of their choice
to pull the tag and stake their claim.
SUBURB BEAUTIFUL
The
development of "Suburb Beautiful" began between 1905 and
1910 with Alfred Reuben Swann who became a major figure in
Tampa's residential and commercial development.
Swann,
along with Eugene Holtsinger, a fellow Tennessean, developed
a large residential subdivision on Hillsborough Bay named
Suburb Beautiful. Their Bayshore Boulevard development
featured a seawall and a roadway between the residences and
the bay, giving Tampa its beautiful scenic drive. Swann
envisioned Tampa as a major American city.
Swann was
soon joined by his son, James T. Swann, Sr., and grandson
James T. Swann, Jr.
Holtsinger teamed up with Alfred Swann in a
land-development business and built homes in Hyde Park,
Ridgewood Park, Ybor City and West Tampa, as well as Suburb
Beautiful. Holtsinger was also the developer of the area
known today as Channelside.
Read
more about the Swanns.
The bridge over the Hillsborough River at North Blvd.
was completed in 1959 and named in honor of Eugene
Holtsinger.
In late Sep. 1917 the Suburb
Beautiful Development Company was incorporated in Tampa with
Dale Mabry as VP. G. E. Mabry was Dale's brother,
Giddings Mabry, who was in law practice with Doyle E.
Carlton as Mabry & Carlton. Carlton would be
elected governor of Florida in 1929.
THE LOCATION OF NORTH SUBURB
BEAUTIFUL
Read the rest of this ad.
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
Notice here his birthday is
recorded as March 27, not March 22 as in other sources.
OFFICERS BOOT CAMP
On Aug. 25, 1917 Dale and 13
other Tampa men were sent to Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., with the
train picking 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.
Just before
completing his training at Ft. Oglethorpe, Dale
went to Atlanta and took the exam for the Army
Air Service. In Nov. 1917
Dale was one of four cadets commissioned as First
Lieutenants in the signal officers reserve corps. They
were ordered to report to the aviation camp at Garden
City, Long Island, NY.
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."
According to his military
service card, Dale was at Garden City, NY which was his
departure station. Dale served overseas as a 1st Lieut. from Dec.
15, 1917 to Jul. 5, 1919 in the American Expeditionary
Forces Signal Corps in France.
A Jul. 15, 1919 Tampa Tribune
article published after Mabry's return home, says "for
the first few weeks in France, he was stationed with the
French air forces, but was then sent to Saint-Mihiel
salient with the Americans, remaining with his own
countrymen throughout the war.
(During World War I,
Saint-Mihiel was captured by the Germans in 1914, and was
recaptured during the Battle of Saint-Mihiel by the American
Expeditionary Forces (AEF) from 12 Sep. 12, 1918 to 19 Sep.
19, 1918)
Dale's military service card
shows his correct birth date.
|
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 Lieutenant Koenig commanding. On
November 27, 1917, Lieutenant Palmer assumed
command, Lieutenant 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 Lieutenant Henske replacing Lieutenant
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 Lieutenant Mabry assumed command,
relieving Lieutenant Lavers.
|
 According
to monthly Army rosters for WW1, in July 1918, 1st
Lieut. Dale Mabry was put
in command of the 10th Balloon Co. (which was
previously known as the 4th Balloon Squadron,) at balloon
camp, Campe de Meucon France. This was in the south of
France about 5 miles north of Vannes near the southern coast
of France.
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.
Service in the balloon corps was for
reconnaissance and observation, not for combat. The
balloons did not have a propulsion system (no motors,
engines, propellers). They remained tethered to the
ground as they were raised high enough to be able to observe
the enemy. The basket was manned by "observers" who
would use a wired telephone connection to report the enemy's
maneuvers.
|
On August 26 we
boarded a French train and proceeded at last
toward the Front, arriving at Toul, the jumping
off place for the Lorraine Front, the 30th of
August. At dusk, the company piled aboard trucks
and our journey towards Berlin began. The Boche
had succeeded in dropping a shell on a large
ammunition dump near Menil-la-Tour. Because of
the fact that it was burning and the fixed
ammunition was exploding, it was necessary for
us to proceed by side roads that were congested
with all kinds of traffic. |
Hex={C1,CC,B7}
| Approaching
nearer the front lines, we observed the signal
rockets, flares and Very lights being thrown up
all along the front trenches, these helping to
increase our nervousness at being up there for
the first time. We all breathed easier when at
last we arrived at our new camp in a woods
between Menil-la-Tour and Ansauville.
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 metersfrom 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. |
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.
|
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 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
arose 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." |
The Battle of Saint-Mihiel
| On the
morning of Sep. 12th, the great St. Mihiel
drive opened with a heavy artillery barrage at
one o'clock. The great guns roared about us
and a battery of 240s that were emplaced
directly behind us shook our barracks and made
sleep or rest impossible.
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. Lieutenant Likens escaped uninjured but
Lieutenant 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. |
Observation was
an incredibly important role in aerial
warfare in World War I. All major combatants
used observation balloons to observe their
enemies’ trench lines and troop movements.
These hovering mammoths were used for
directing artillery, which required spotters
and observation well beyond the visual range
of ground-based observers. As much as planes
were able to record enemy positions and
movement on film, having real time spotters
and observational balloon baskets linked to
the ground by telephone was essential. It
allowed the artillery to take advantage of
increasingly large guns with vastly longer
ranges.
See rare photos of balloon uses during World
War 1.
An
artillery-spotting balloon goes into the sky
above Ypres, Belgium.
Photo from the World War 1 Centennial
Commission "Observation Balloons."
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.
| On Sep. 21,
we moved to Jezainville arriving there at noon.
After the company had been fed, a balloon bed
was constructed and the balloon inflated. There
was no observation here the first few days
because of poor visibility. The men busied
themselves by picking up odd bits of lumber
lying around the hill and built a regular
settlement of small shacks, with the result that
our observers reported that the camp from the
air looked more like a Divisional Training Area
in the S.O.S., than a balloon company on the
Front.
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, Lieutenant Lavers jumped, and on the second,
Oct. 6, Lieutenant Likens made his second drop
at the Front. |
See
also
Balloons Up -- The short life of the army balloon service.
| The enemy
artillery made several attempts to shoot our
balloons down and while their deflection was
perfect the range was always short and no damage
was ever accomplished. Night bombers were very
active here and they dropped a number of bombs
on roads leading into camp, too close for
comfort.
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
Days balloon ascensions made in S.O.S 15
Days balloon ascensions made in Z.O.A 29
Total days balloon ascensions made 44
Number of balloon ascensions made in S.O.S. 91
Number of balloon ascensions made in Z.O.A. 46
Total number of balloon ascensions made 137
Total number of hours in air S.O.S. 71.00
Total number of hours in air Z.O.A. 88.49
Total number of hours in the air 159.48
Artillery adjustments in S.O.S. 26
Artillery adjustments in Z.O.A 3
Total number or artillery adjustments 29
Enemy shells observed 66
Enemy aircraft observed 204
Enemy balloons observed 139
Enemy artillery batteries observed 16
Enemy traffic on road and railroad observed 13
Smoke, fires and flares observed 7
Explosions observed 15
Jumps from basket 4
Balloons destroyed
Observers killed
Observers captured
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
Meuse-Argonne Offensive was a part of the
final Allied offensive of World War I. It
was one of the attacks that brought an end
to the War and was fought from September 26
– November 11, 1918, when the Armistice was
signed. The Meuse-Argonne Offensive was the
largest operation of the American
Expeditionary Forces (AEF) in World War I,
with over a million American soldiers
participating. It was also the deadliest
campaign in American history, resulting in
over 26,000 soldiers being killed in action
(KIA) and over 120,000 total casualties.
Indeed, the number of graves in the American
military cemetery at Romagne is far larger
than those in the more commonly known site
at Omaha Beach in Normandy.
Military Records, Meuse-Argonne Offensive at
National Archives
See a detailed description of this battle,
with maps and photos.
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.
By the end of Jan. 1919, Dale
was was still stationed at Ville-sur-Cousances commanding
the 10th Balloon Co as a First Lieutenant.
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 MABRY BACK IN TAMPA
 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.
By Jan. 1, 1920, Dale had returned to Langley Field and had
been promoted to headquarters as a captain
CAPTAIN DALE
MABRY ON THE 1920 CENSUS,
LANGLEY FIELD, VA.
Dale Mabry was recorded on the 1920 Census of Langley Field,
Va. It shows he was 28 years old,
single, born in Fla, occupation Captain U.S.
Army. The official census date was Jan. 1,
1920, so all data recorded was to be as with
respect to that date. Which means he moved to Langley
Field in 1919 and re-enlisted.
Non relevant columns have been removed.
See this whole
page.
In Jun. 1920 he was assigned
from captain at headquarters to captain in the 19th Airship
Company.
A memo dated Apr. 16, 1920 states that the rosters for June,
July, and August 1919 were missing. It also states
that "The records in this office show the 10th Balloon
Company was demobilized in May 1919 and reorganized in Sept.
1919."
On Aug. 2, 1920, the entries in
the Sept. 11, 1920 national balloon race at Indianapolis
were announced. Dale was the captain of the Army Air
Service's entry with five lieutenants.
See these monthly rosters and the memo. When
it opens, click it to see it full size.
INTERNATIONAL
BALLOON RACE
In early August 1920
newspapers around the country buzzed with
numerous articles about an international balloon
race for the James Gordon Bennett trophy.
It was to
start Oct.23, 1920 at the Indianapolis motor
speedway and finishing in Labrador.
There
would first be a qualifying elimination race to start from Indianapolis on Sept. 11, 1920.
to determine the American balloon entries for the
International race. The U.S. Army Air
Service planned three entries for the Sept. 11
elimination race at Indianapolis. Capt. Mabry along with
five Lieutenants were going to represent the
Army Air Service (AAS).
But on Aug. 15,
1920, the committee of the U.S. Aero Club
announced that both races would start at
White City Park, Chicago, due to no suitable
field at Indianapolis with the necessary gas
connections for the race. A million cubic
feet of gas would be required.
Then a week later,
the Aero Club of America made an offer to the
Birmingham Chamber of Commerce to hold the
races there. Again, the reason was that
the new site at Chicago could also not furnish
the amount of gas needed. The Birmingham
site was adjacent to the Sloss-Sheffield
steel by-product plant which could supply
sufficient coal gas for the race.
Coal gas was a mixture largely of hydrogen,
methane and carbon monoxide. Naturally, it was
flammable and dangerous. Made from
pyrolysing coal, it provided light, heat and
power for homes and industry in Britain for 150
years until it was replaced by North Sea Gas
(methane) in the period from 1967 to 1977.
Birmingham having
accepted the offer on Aug. 31; the qualifying race was to
start on Sep. 23 for the honor of representing
the USA in the international race to also be
held in Birmingham. Belgium, England,
France, and Italy planned entries in the finals
for October.
BACK AT
LANGLEY AIR FIELD
Meanwhile,
the Army Air Service was conducting
fleet maneuvers at Langley Field, Va.
Dale was commanding the French-built
airship Zodiac, known as the ZS-1.
It carried 3 officers and 10 men during
the maneuvers which lasted 2 hours, 15
minutes
The
Zodiac ZDUS-1 was built in
France in 1919 on order of the
U.S. Navy. The dirigible was
transferred to the U.S. Army
which used it at Langley Field.
Its name was changed to ZD-1 and
then to RN-1.
Photo and info from Library of Congress
THE CONTEST BEGINS
The start of the race at
Birmingham was delayed to Saturday, Sep. 25. The event
combined the national race, the elimination race for the
international race, and the army-navy race.
|
 |
THE BIRMINGHAM NEWS - Sep.
26, 1920
Due to the poor quality of this article,
some of the contents are summarized here.
Eleven balloons
were launched Saturday evening between 5 pm and
6 pm, sailing smoothly in a wind that carried
them west-northwest on their voyage in the
national elimination balloon race. It is
estimated that 20,000 people witnessed the start
of the race. The huge crowds swarmed to the
field to see Warren Rasor, veteran aeronaut of
Brookfield, Ohio, and his aide take to the air
at 4:54 pm.
Three minutes
later, Army Balloon No. 4 with pilot Lt. E.W.
McEntire and Capt. Dale Mabry was loosed by the
soldiers and civilians holding it, and it
trailed off in the wake of the Ohioan's "gas
bag."
At 5 pm, Army
Balloon No. 2, piloted by Lt. Byiron T.
Burt, with Lt. R.E. Olmstead as aide, was the
third to launch. Army Balloon Army
Balloon No. 1 launched next, piloted by Lt.
Richard E. Thompson and Lt. Harold E. Weeks as
his aide.
Next to launch was
the "Elsie Delight" with pilot A. Leo Stevens,
the pilot who earlier tried to reach an altitude
of 4 miles in an effort to signal MARS, with
aide Western. Theirs was the only entry to
be equipped with a huge parachute, which trailed
behind the basket.
The 6th balloon to
launch was Ralph Upson, holder of the
international title, in his Akron, Ohio
Goodyear balloon, with aide Van Ormand.
The 7th balloon was pilot J.S. McKibbon and aide
Seiberling. Five minutes later, two
youths, pilot Bernard von Hoffman and aide
Heller, launched in a balloon bearing the
colors of the University of Missouri. They
headed straight for another balloon and had to
release a huge quantity of sand that liberally
sprinkle the spectators below. With a
shouted apology, they waved goodbye as they shot
into the air. Next to launch was the 9th,
a balloon named "The Kansas City II" piloted by
Homer E. Honeywell and his aide, Dr. Jerome Kingsberry. The 10th balloon to launch was
R.F. Donaldson and his aide J.R. King.
They loosed a string of tiny American flags that
trailed away from the passenger basket. At 5:46
pm, the 11th and final entry to launch was the
big silver balloon of the U.S. Navy, piloted by
Lt. Rasfe Emerson and aide Lt. Frank Sloman.
One entry did not launch successfully.
Pilot William Asmann and his aide Capt. J.M.
O'Rielly, whose balloon burst its net shortly
before their starting time arrived, forced them
to drop out.
|
It was the Navy
entry, whose huge egg-shaped balloon with its
half-net of shining silver, that gathered the
most attention, catching and holding the
greatest admiration of the crowd.
It required 55
minutes to launch the 11 balloons, which Arthur
Hawley, president of the Aero Club of America,
and Maj. A.B. Lambert, president of the Missouri
Aeronautical Society, the official starters,
declared this to be the best time ever made in
opening a national balloon race.
Sunday morning
government weather experts estimated that they
would be over western Tennessee
|
|
See the map. Color, as well as the
landing place of the Navy balloon, has
been added by TampaPix,
|
On Monday, Sep. 27, 1920, the
Birmingham News announced that 9 of the 11
balloons that launched on the 25th were forced
to land by 2 pm, according to dispatches
received over press wires and by the
Birmingham Chamber of Commerce from the
aeronauts themselves
The Kansas City
II" piloted by Homer E. Honeywell
of St. Louis,
apparently was leading in the race. It was
the only balloon still flying from which reports
had been received in Birmingham. At 7 am,
Monday, it had passed over Toledo, Ohio and soon
was skirting Lake Erie headed east.
Army balloon No. 1, the Ft. Omaha entry
piloted by
piloted by Lt.
Richard E. Thompson,
was believed to be still in the air on Monday
morning due to no reports of them landing. A
Sep. 28th article reported a storm raised them
to 30,000 feet before they landed on Sep. 27 at
9:14 am in a field near Lake Erie, two miles
east of Ridgetown, Ontario--a distance of 900
miles from Birmingham.
The "Elsie
Delight" piloted by A. Leo Stevens, was
forced to land at Drakesboro, Ky. on Sunday
morning, according to a telegram received from
Cincinnati where Stevens and his aide arrived on
Monday.
Army balloon No. 2 piloted by Lt. Burt
landed 6 miles east of Hanson, Ky at 2:30 pm
Sunday. Their landing was forced when the
balloon lost gas.
The first balloon reported down was the one
piloted by Warren Rasor. It landed
near Grayville, Ind. 30 miles north of
Evansville at 4:30 pm Sunday. But other
balloons came down earlier according to later
reports.
The balloon representing the Missouri State
University, piloted by Bernard von Hoffman,
landed 8 miles west of Caneyville, Ky. on
Sunday.
F.R. Donaldson in the Missouri Aeronautical
Society's entry, landed near Owensboro, Ky
late Sunday afternoon. He was at an altitude of
5,500 ft. when the balloon began "reaking
heavily, and was forced to release 35
fifty-pound bags of ballast to reach the earth
safely."
|
Army balloon No.4 piloted by Lt. McEntire with
aide Capt. Dale Mabry, landed near Lewisport,
Ky at 10:08 pm Sunday. The Sloss-Sheffield Steel
& Iron Company's by-product plant at North
Birmingham received a telegram Monday from
McEntire and Mabry: "Foot slipped; landed
at Lewisport Ky., U.S. Army No. 4"
Ralph Upson, world's champion balloon pilot in
the Goodyear entry, landed Monday morning
near Elyria, Ohio, on his own choice rather than
risk a crossing at Lake Erie. His balloon
passed four miles north of Hagerstown, Ind at
12:15 am Monday
The balloon piloted by
J.S. McKibbon landed 3 miles northeast of Vanwert, Ohio, at
2:16 am Monday. It had travelled for 32
hours, 46 min. and had traveled mor than 500
miles.
The last balloon reported down was the U.S.
Navy entry, the Goodyear II,
piloted by Lt. Raafe Emerson. A
telegram received from him from Graytown, Ohio,
state that their balloon was forced to land at
Port Clinton, Ohio at 6:50 am Monday due to an
approaching storm blowing easterly over Lake
Erie.
Read the rest of the article at right.
Three winners, determined by distance traveled,
would be chosen to represent the U.S. in the
international race to start in Birmingham on
Oct. 23.
QUALIFIERS FOR INTERNATIONAL RACE
Not counted as
part of the three qualifiers, by virtue of being
the current international champion, Ralph Upson,
who landed near Elyria, Ohio, along with his
aide von Ormann, was an automatic qualifier for
the upcoming international race in Birmingham.
The first
place contestant to qualify was Lt. Thompson with his
aide, Lt. Weeks, in the Army No. 1 balloon, who
landed at Richmond, Ontario, about 40 miles
southwest of Ottawa.
The second
place qualifying contestant was the Navy balloon, with
Lt. Emerson and aide Lt. Sloman, who landed
basketless on the shores of Lake Erie near
Elyria, Ohio.
The third
place and
final contestant to qualify was H.E. Honeywell,
the civilian pilot of Kansas City, and his aide
Dr. Kingsbury of NY, landing near Chatham,
Ontario, about 40 miles northeast of Detroit.
But there would
be a question of validity of the Navy
qualification due to their basket being cut off
before coming down. Why it was cut away could
determine whether or not it was a violation.
INTERNATIONAL BALLOON RACE ENTRIES
On Oct. 7,
1920, there were 7 entries in the International race.. But the next day, the
Birmingham Chamber of Commerce announced that
the city of Birmingham was going to have an
"independent entry" as well as allowing Lt. Raafe Emerson, who was eliminated in the
preliminary race, would be another independent
entry in an effort to break the American
endurance record. Apparently, this wasn't
allowed.
THE FINAL
STANDINGS
Articles vary in regard to the foreign balloon
occupants' name
spelling and name spelling of their balloon. The
Trionfale V spelling was obtained from the photo
of it. Absence of the Navy entry is an
indication that the cutting loose of their
basket in the qualifier race was a violation.
|
1 |
Belgium |
"Belgica" |
Abt. 1,100 mi., Hero Island, Lake
Champlain, Vt. |
|
Demuyter & LaBrousse |
|
2 |
USA |
"Kansas City II" |
Abt. 1,000 mi.Tongue Mountain, near
Lake George, NY. |
|
Honeywell & Kingsbury |
|
3 |
Italy |
"Audions" |
|
|
Villa & Leone |
|
4 |
Italy |
"Trionfale V" |
|
|
Maderi
& Anselmo |
|
5 |
US Army |
"U.S. Army 1" |
South of Charlotte, Mich. |
|
Thompson & Weeks |
|
6 |
USA |
"Goodyear II" - |
Qualified for the finals due to
being the current champions. |
|
Upson & van Orman |
|
7 |
France |
No name |
|
|
L. Hirschauer & L Nathan |
|
|
Aug. 31, 1920 |
Oct. 31, 1920 (19th
Airship Co.) |
|
Sep. 30, 1920 |
Nov. 30, 1920 (19th
Airship Co.) |
|
Sep. 31, 1920 (18th
Airship Co.) |
Dec. 31, 1920
Capt. Mabry at OIC Training, Airship School |
|
Oct. 31, 1920 |
|
DALE MABRY PASSPORT APPLICATION
On Jan. 29, 1921, Dale applied for a passport
to travel to Belgium, France, Italy and Switzerland for
military service. He intended to travel from the Port of New
York on a U.S. transport on Feb. 5th, 1921. This trip
was for the purpose of bringing the Italian airship Roma
back to the U.S.
See the entire document.
 DALE
MABRY IN BELGIUM AND ITALY
On Feb. 4, 1921, The Tampa
Tribune announced that Dale sailed from New York to Belgium en
route to Italy along with Lt. Robert Reid and 5
non-commissioned officers. According to the 2-page
roster of officers at Langley Field, there was no Robert
Reid, nor any Reid. It was 1st. Lt. WALTER J. REED who
was among those accompanying Dale.
The Langley Field roster of officers shows Captain Dale
Mabry and Lt. Walter J Reed on Detached Service at at
Antwerp, Belgium since Feb. 1.
At a Washington DC meeting of the Press Club
on Feb. 4, 1921, Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby spoke
at the event with mention of the Roma and Dale Mabry.
Adding, "He flew over Washington not long ago taking
pictures of the government buildings here."
From all early indications, the
Army planned to disassemble the Roma and send it to the USA
by ship to Langley, then reassembled in a hangar there.
Detailed to Go to Italy “Roma
For the purpose of bringing back the giant airship “Roma,”
recently purchased by the United States from the Italian
Government, the following officers and men from the U. S.
Army Air Service have been detailed to go to Italy:
Maj. John G.
Thornell, Capt. Dale Mabry, 1st Lt. Walter J.
Reed, Master Sgts. Roger C. McNally and Harry A
Chapman, Staff Sgt. Marion J. Beall, Sgt. Joseph
M. Bledenbach, and Corp. Virgil C. Hoffman.
DALE MABRY IN ITALY
Hundreds of
newspapers across the country
published this photo and the incorrect story
claiming the men would be flying the ship back
to the U.S.
The Army entourage arrived
in Antwerp, Belgium, on Feb. 27, 1921 and proceeded
immediately to Rome to take charge of the Roma.
The Roma was a semi-rigid, dirigible airship
manufactured in Italy. Its first flight from Rome to Naples
occurred without incident in September of 1920 with the US
Ambassador to Italy and other Italian dignitaries on board.
Following the flight, the
United States Army purchased the airship, disassembled it,
and shipped it to Langley for immediate inspection and
reassembly. Once state-side, it was fitted with six U.S-built
Liberty L-12 Engines capable of 400 horsepower each. The
inspection found the covering of the airship had been
weakened by mildew during its voyage across the Atlantic
Ocean.
THIS SECTION IS IN
PROGRESS
The American crew that took
delivery of Roma in Italy.
Standing, L to R: Sgts J.M Biedenback, V.C. Hoffman, M.J.
Beale, H. A. Chapman, R.C. McNally.
Sitting, L to R: : Lt. W.J.
Reed, Maj. J.G. Thornell, Capt. Dale Mabry
Photo and info below is courtesy of The Short Tragic life of the Airship
Roma by Luigino Caliaro,
Aviation Historian magazine. #34, Jan 2021, and
Wings of Valor, Wings of Gold by Amy W. Yarinske,
1998.
Of the semi-rigid Usuelli type, the “Roma” is believed to be the largest
semirigid airship in the world. Sold to the United States
Government for approximately $200,000, it would cost at
present to duplicate probably $1,250.000.
Designed
originally for commercial purposes, the “Roma” was built by
the Italian Government: for use during the war. The big
airship was constructed under the direction of Signor Usuelli, whose name designates the type, and of the
Engineers Prassone and Nobile and Colonel Crocco.
The “Roma”
has a capacity of 1,200,000 cubic feet; is 410 feet long, 82
feet wide, 88 feet 6 inches high, and has a cruising radius
of 3,500 miles at full speed. Equipped with six 12 cylinder Ansaldo engines of 400 h.p. each, the “Roma’s” speed is
estimated to be 80 m.p.h.; her gross lift about 65,000
pounds, or 32.5 tons; her disposable or useful load, about
38,000 pounds, or 19 tons, which is 58% of the gross lift.
The “Roma” has carrying
capacity for 100 passengers in addition to the crew. The airship will be deflated and
brought to the United States by transport.
THE AVIATION HISTORIAN by
TAH Photos of the Roma
https://archive.org/details/issue-31/Issue%2034/page/50/mode/2up?q=thornell+mabry+reed+roma+usuelli
ISSUE
NUMBER 34 (published January 15, 2021) at Internet
Archive
For Roma’s transfer to the
USA, the American officers initially considered making a
direct transatlantic crossing, later opting, probably
wisely, to dismantle the airship and transport it by sea
to the Port of New York.
Early in August 1921, a month after Roma left Italy,
assembly of the dirigible commenced at Langley,
Virginia, where a large hangar had been built, along
with laboratories established for generating hydrogen.
The final base for the airship was intended to be Brooks
Field, near San Antonio, Texas, home to a school
training aerial observers for the US Army.
The reassembly of Roma was completed at Langley on
November 5, 1921, and on the morning of the 15th more
than 1,000 spectators arrived at the field to see its
rollout. At the controls was Thornell; the silver
dirigible, on the prow of which was painted the word
“ROMA” and a white five-pointed star, majestically
emerged from the hangar. At 1030hr, after almost an hour
of pre-flight preparations, the airship began to lift
slowly into the air, although problems quickly developed
with the Ansaldo engines, which failed to deliver their
full power. Despite this problem, the commander
continued the flight with no further issues until
1130hr, when a leakage of hydrogen was detected. The
technicians on board managed to repair the leak, and at
1300hr the dirigible commenced the docking operation,
concluded successfully after half an hour. Another
rather more successful flight was conducted on November
23.
in the meantime, the
ceremony for the official christening of the airship had
been organized for December 9 at Bolling Field in
Washington DC. That morning, however, the unreliable
Ansaldo engines created further problems, delaying the
departure of the airship from Langley, forcing the
ceremony to be postponed until December 21. Again the
airship suffered technical problems, arriving just
before noon
at Bolling Field where, hindered by a strong gusting
wind, it presented itself to the public flying in an
erratic manner and with a portion of the envelope
detached. Thanks to the efforts of the aircrew and
ground support personnel, however, it was possible to
anchor the airship, but the eagerly anticipated
demonstration flight in the afternoon, which was to
carry various civil and military dignitaries, had to be
cancelled.
In the course of the ceremony the Italian Ambassador,
Rolando Ricci, thanked the American government and
military leaders for giving their permission to retain
the original name of the airship, stating: “I thank all
the authorities for the courtesy they have demonstrated,
which is a courtesy towards all of Italy”. For his part,
American Secretary of War John W. Weeks offered his
compliments and thanks to the Italian technicians and to
the American crew, which, despite the unfavorable
conditions, had managed to complete the flight from
Langley. Just before the classic launch of the champagne
bottle, Italian Chief of Staff Gen Giuseppe Vaccari,
together with Thornell, unveiled a new American flag on
Roma’s stern.
On December 31, 1921, Thornell passed command of Roma to Capt
Mabry, who was given the task of supervising the
replacement of the airship’s Ansaldo engines with more
powerful and more reliable Liberty powerplants.
Concurrently, repair work was undertaken on the envelope
and internal compartments, although Mabry, in a letter
dated February 1, 1922, emphasized to the commandant of
the Airship School the necessity of replacing the
external envelope and ballonets.
On August 23, 1921, US Navy airship ZR-2 (former British
rigid dirigible R38) had crashed in the UK, caused by
structural failure and subsequent fire, with the loss of
most of its crew. As a result of the tragedy, a request
was advanced to replace the use of highly flammable
hydrogen with helium, an inert gas that does not burn,
but which was expensive. Unfortunately, the request was
denied for budgetary reasons. It was a decision that was
to have a profound effect on Roma and its crew.
After a few weeks of work to install the new engines, it
was planned that Roma would resume flying in late
February 1922. On the 21st of the month, following a
morning spent awaiting an improvement in the weather,
the airship was pulled out of its hangar just after
1200 hrs and 45 people including flight crew, technicians
and VIPs, took their places in its passenger gondola.
Roma took off in the early afternoon, and, from the
moment of the release of the docking cables, Mabry had
to work hard to control the airship. The dirigible
immediately started to gain height too quickly, assuming
a pronounced nose-up attitude, and only after some
decisive intervention on the bleed-air valves was the
correct flying attitude resumed.
After this initial problem, the flight proceeded well at
first, with Roma achieving a speed of 120km/h (75
m.p.h.), never obtained with the Ansaldo engines. It was
noted that the American engines functioned perfectly,
generating less vibration through the airframe than
their Italian predecessors. The calm nature of the
flight was disturbed, however, by the detection of a
loss of gas in the forward part of the airship. However,
because it seemed to have stabilized, Mabry decided to
continue the sortie.
THE FINAL FATAL MOMENTS
Just before 1400 hrs an
abnormal vibration was detected in the command cabin, a
loss of gas was detected in the No 1 gas compartment and
the alarm was raised. At 1410 hrs, while the airship was
flying over the Army Quartermaster Depot at Elizabeth
River, Lt Byram G. Burt, who was at the elevator
controls, noted that the latter were not functioning.
Having lost control of the airship, Mabry gave the order
to shut down the engines immediately and make an
emergency landing, aiming the airship towards the
fairways of the Norfolk Country Club beyond the
Lafayette river. Despite all the efforts of the crew,
Roma was now doomed. By this point completely out of
control, Roma pitched nose-down 45° and crashed to earth
inside the military depot, cutting through numerous
overhead high voltage power lines within the compound,
resulting in a fierce hydrogen fire. Incredibly, 11 of
the 45 men aboard survived.
 The US Army Air Service
immediately ordered the establishment of an inquiry to
determine the reasons for the loss of Roma. One of the
first discoveries was that the majority of the victims
had been killed by the ensuing hydrogen fire, confirmed
through the questioning of witnesses and some of the
survivors, who expressed their conviction that many of
the crew members could have been saved had helium been
used instead of hydrogen. It was determined that the
crash had been caused by a complete loss of control, and
it was suggested that some of the control lines had
severed after the forward rigid structure of the airship
had suddenly collapsed owing to a loss of gas in the No
1 compartment. Although it was not possible to determine
with certainty the reason for the loss of gas, it was
decided that the principal cause of the incident was
linked to the degradation of Roma’s covering. Indeed, it
had been noted at take-off that the external covering
was in poor condition, and some witnesses confirmed that
pieces of the envelope fell to the ground as Roma lifted
off.
Click to see larger
BELOW
Rescue workers look on as a crane removes the twisted
metal of the destroyed Roma at the US Army
Quartermaster’s Depot in Norfolk after its crash on
February 21, 1922.
Bitter arguments broke out
at senior military level over the failure to assign
funding for the replacement of hydrogen with helium. In
Italy the tragedy naturally had great resonance, and
engendered numerous discussions and inquests, resulting
in an absolution of the airship’s design, given that
Roma was flying too low, leaving little room for
maneuver for the crew in case of an emergency. Umberto
Nobile declared that the accident was “caused by a
series of unfortunate circumstances which resulted in
the dirigible impacting an area with numerous power
lines”.
THE AFTERMATH
With hindsight we can see
that the tragic accident, like most, was the result of a
series of interlinked events, some partly down to
misfortune and some caused by human error. Roma’s final
flight was conducted at very low altitude, around 150m
(500ft) and, thanks to its new engines, achieved speeds
that the airship had never reached before. These two
facts, combined with the poor condition of the external
envelope and internal gas compartments, which needed to
be replaced (as suggested by Mabry), could have led to
the loss of hydrogen from the forward compartment,
engendering structural stress that was beyond the limit
for Roma’s keel. The consequent collapse of the frontal
rigid structure resulted in the severing of the control
lines, also constructed from rigid material, leaving the
elevator positioned at an angle of descent of around
45°. The inquiry also established that the crew, at the
beginning of the flight, had not adequately compensated
for the difference in weight of the American engines and
had not uploaded sufficient ballast; actions which may
have contributed to the initial problems encountered on
take-off.
The only point which remained unresolved was the reason
why the forward engines remained functioning at the time
of the crash. The only plausible hypothesis was that in
the sequence of a fast-moving chain of events the order
to shut down the engines did not reach the relevant
engineers. The incident stoked the fires of debate in
the USA on the validity of dirigibles, but also resulted
in the decision to cease the use of hydrogen in favour
of the adoption of helium.
As a memorial to the tragedy, a commemorative plaque was
mounted at the place where Roma fell to earth, in memory
of the 34 occupants who lost their lives. In addition,
the National Museum of the USAF in P Dayton, Ohio,
houses one of the Roma’s original Ansaldo engines
https://floridaairmuseum.org/latest-news/dale-mabry-and-the-roma/
LANGLEY FIELD TIMES
PHOTO CREW OF ROMA POSING IN
FRONT OF ROMA IN HANGAR - SOURCE PAGE NO LONGER EXISTS.
https://www.macdill.af.mil/News/Features/Display/Article/765428/much-more-than-a-gateway-dale-mabry/
https://media.defense.gov/2015/Mar/01/2001021845/1200/1200/0/111111-F-AA111-996.JPG
Proceedings of the United States Naval
Institute by United States Naval Institute
https://archive.org/details/proceedingsofuniv48p1unit/page/662/mode/2up?q=%22Captain+Dale+Mabry%22
By February of 1922, the new
engines were fitted, and the airship was reassembled. The
ship was filled with hydrogen, loaded with ballast, and
crewed for the first time in the United States with Captain
Dale Mabry at the helm.
The rudder control box failed during
a test flight with 45 people on board, compromising the
Roma’s controllability. Some witness reports state seeing
the entire rudder box shift sidewise, after which the entire
airship descended rapidly into a set of unseen power lines.
The highly volatile hydrogen filling the craft exploded into
flames, killing 34 and injuring 8 of its crew and
passengers, including its Captain. This proved to be the
single most costly incident in U.S. Aeronautics history up
to that point. Dale Mabry has been memorialized by naming an
airport after him in Tallahassee, though that airport no
longer stands. Additionally, a school and a major highway
have been graced by his namesake, ensuring his name sticks
in our collective memory for generations to come.
https://floridaairmuseum.org/latest-news/dale-mabry-and-the-roma/
Submitted by Glenn Gallagher
https://hcfl.gov/about-hillsborough/history/faces-behind-the-places/faces-behind-the-places-captain-dale-mabry
Photos of the Roma
https://archive.org/details/wingsofvalorwing0000yars/page/66/mode/2up?q=roma
Wings of valor, wings of gold by
Yarsinske, Amy Waters, 1998
To Captain Dale Mabry
https://archive.org/details/songsofchallenge0000robe/page/176/mode/2up?q=%22Captain+Dale+Mabry%22
Aerial age 1922 Photo of Mabry with crew
of Roma
https://archive.org/details/aerialage1219unse/page/628/mode/2up?q=%22Captain+Dale+Mabry%22
Thirty-four Killed in Crash of the Roma.
— Thirty-four officers, enlisted men and civilians were
killed on February 21 when the Army dirigible airship Roma
plunged a thousand feet and crashed to earth in flames near
the Hampton Roads army base. Only eleven of the forty-five
men aloft with her were saved, and some of them were
terribly hurt. Three were slightly injured. The breaking of,
the rudder with its vertical controls, affixed in boxkite
fashion to the stern, is believed the original cause of the
disaster. Just as the craft plummeted into the earth the
metal-clad nose struck high-tension electric power wires,
and the dirigible was fired from stem to stern. Only those
whose fortunate positions in the car enabled them to leap
before the flames ran with lightning speed through the gas
bag, had the faintest chance for their lives. The
thirty-three who couldn't jump died, One officer broke his
neck in a dive to earth and was dead before he could be got
to a hospital. Many Officers Among Dead The crushed,
misshapen mass that thudded onto the field was a funeral
pyre of such intense heat that the agonies of those who were
not killed in the crash must have been mercifully brief. The
bodies were burned beyond recognition and the slow work of
listing the victims was carried out partly by a process of
elimination and partly through non-combustible objects that
the aviators had carried in their pockets. That list when it
was completed showed that two majors, four captains, and
seven lieutenants were among the lost. The Roma's gas bag,
with its cubical capacity of 1,100,000 feet, was filled with
hydrogen. Non-inflammable helium was the leviating gas used
when the Roma, which was bought from the Italian Government,
went on her first trial flight last December. But it had
been planned to send the ship — the largest semi-rigid
airship in the world — on a spring cruise over the country
to demonstrate her fitness to cross the Atlantic. In her bag
had been the whole available supply of helium in the United
States. Flying officials wanted that for the spring journey,
so they pumped it into tanks and substituted hydrogen. Trip
to Test Liberty Motors The occasion for the fatal flight was
a desire to test the Liberty Motors which had been installed
to replace the Italian motors. In charge of Captain Dale
Mabry, with a full complement of officers and men and a few
civilian guests, the huge craft went aloft from Langley
Field at 1 130 o'clock in the afternoon. It was just
forty-nine minutes later that she lay in ruins, with most of
those who had gone up in gay holiday mood dead in the
wreckage. The whole story was compressed into the last
minute or so. In that time Captain Mabry and Lieut. Byrum G.
Burt, at the control wheels, had striven with every resource
of courage and skill to guide the wobbling airship to a safe
landing. Others trained for swift action in just such
pinched seconds had played their part by hurling overboard
bag after bag of sand ballast. An
instant later the falling airship came into contact with the
electric wires, charged with 2,300 volts, that supply
current to the army base, and the explosion and fire
followed. Lieutenant W. E. Riley, a member of the official
crew, jumped from a window of the cabin when the explosion
came. His parachute failed to work properly and he struck
the street pavement on his head. His neck was broken and he
died before reaching the hospital. There was just one man
who leaped and landed on soft ground. He escaped almost
unhurt with the exception of a few burns on his face and
hands. He is Lieutenant By rum G. Burt. He jumped from the
Roma when she was about thirty feet in the air. He landed in
the mud on the shore of Hampton Roads. Captain Walter G.
Reed, who stood by the ship to the last and did all he could
to help others, came out of the burning mass of steel and
wood and rags with just a few scars on his ears and hands.
He says he does not know why he is alive. Of all the line
officers on the Roma only two escaped death — Captain Reed
and Lieutenant Burt. Falls Across Railroad Track The airship
fell directly across a railroad track, the elevator and
rudder falling on and remaining suspended from a telegraph
pole. At one side of the track was a stack of . steel parts
of railway cars, on the other was a big heap of pigiron. It
was into the pile of iron scraps that the passenger car of
the dirigible smashed. Rescuers from the Army Supply Depot
rushed to the scene, and many daring attempts were made to
penetrate the smoke and gas to rescue those in the ship. It
was several hours before the car of the airship could be
reached, and then only after army, navy, and civilian
fire-fighting forces had quenched the flames. The rescue
work was also delayed until huge army derricks were brought
to the scene to lift the steel wreckage from the car. Major
General Mason M. Patrick, Chief of Air Service, who flew to
the scene of the disaster a few hours after it occurred,
sent the following telegram to the Adjutant General on
February 22: "Have ordered thorough investigation to
determine cause of Roma disaster. Information already
gathered indicates that cable to elevating rudders broke.
Ship nosed down. Struck live wires carrying high tension
electric current and this started fire. There was no
explosion and no fire until after those wires were hit and
broken. "PATRICK." General Patrick also reported orally that
the accident to the elevating rudders of the Roma occurred
at an elevation of only 600 feet. Crew of Picked Men The
Roma's crew was picked from the men stationed at Langley
Field. They were said to be among the best airmen at the big
army post. Each man was assigned to certain duties, and each
man was an expert at the duties assigned to him. It is the
opinion of all survivors, as well as of observers of the
disaster, that the officers in charge of the craft, the
operating crew, and others aboard acted most admirably and
coolly under the harrowing circumstances. They are declared
to have stuck to their posts as long as it was possible to
do anything with the ship, a number dying at their posts of
duty. In the flight, on what was to have been a speed trial
with her four Liberty motors, each of 400 horsepower, the
Roma was to have tried to maintain a speed of 100 -miles an
hour. It was the first time up with the new motors, and the
first time she had ever attempted to make any unusual speed.
The Roma had not been out of her hangar at Langley Field for
several weeks. — Army and Navy Journal, 25 February, 1922.
The Aviation
Historian
https://archive.org/details/issue-31/Issue%2034/mode/2up?q=%22Capt.+Dale+Mabry%22
|
