Last month, while working on some research on where my mother lived in Kansas, I discovered this "Letter from Everett Chesney" in the Natoma Independent, Natoma, Kansas, Thursday, 23 May, 1918, Page 2.
Everett Mize Chesney, (b. 27 November 1895; d. 14 January 1987) is one of my mother's older brothers. He is the second son of Edward Kent and Alwilda "Wilda" Mize Chesney. At the time of this writing, Everett was 23 years of age. He enlisted in the Army March 8, 1918, and was assigned to the 38th Balloon Company at Fort John Wise, San Antonio, Texas. He was discharged May 11, 1919.
By a little research on this Balloon Company I learned that the United States Army Balloon Squadrons and companies were organized under the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps and served overseas with the United States Army Air Service before and during World War I. I also found these images of the type of balloon that was used.
These balloons were used largely for reconnaissance, but they were not used for long because the Army quickly learned that the enemy could easily shoot them down with incendiary artillery which would cause the balloons to explode in the air.
Included in Everett's letter was another item that caught my attention. He recounts a Mother’s Day program he attended that evening where “the ladies of the Laural [sic] Heights church” gave each soldier a flower. I found this historical information on the website of the Laurel Heights United Methodist Church:
Laurel Heights Methodist Church
1917-18: World War I
Laurel Heights practically adopted the 2,300 soldiers at the Balloon School at Camp John Wise. Wednesdays the young people of the church provided entertainment at the camp, Thursdays were designated for sewing and mending, and Friday nights the church was thrown open to the soldiers who came in large numbers.
