By:
Anna Lynn Thornsberry, B.A. in History, Christopher Newport University
Sheri Shuck-Hall, Ph.D., Professor of History, Christopher Newport University
World War I, known as the Great War—the war to end all wars—was an unprecedented international conflict. Beginning in 1914, the war pitted the Allied and Central Powers against each other with shocking numbers of casualties, both military and civilian. The United States entered the war in 1917, and it was Newport News, Virginia that boomed and expanded because of this global battle. The city was strategically situated; it had a large harbor, excellent rail transportation, and a suitable shipbuilding facility. The government therefore purchased land to build military training facilities in Newport News, one named Camp Eustis.[1]
Building a Balloon School at Camp Eustis
With no immediate end to World War I in sight, the U.S. government created Camp Eustis, named after General Abraham Eustis, a veteran of the War of 1812 who founded the Artillery School of Practice at Fort Monroe. When choosing the land, location was an important factor in the government’s decision; it had to be close to Fort Monroe and possess qualities that could safeguard national defense. They eventually purchased Mulberry Island to transform into Camp Eustis. Mulberry Island attracted the government because of its proximity to the Warwick and James Rivers. It was the only location that had land and water access, which allowed for the men to train in surveillance over both—a rare and unique quality. The camp also had access to rail, the Lee Hall Train Depot (build in 1883), which was part of the C&O Railway on the peninsula.[2]
Camp Eustis accommodated over 20,000 soldiers, who trained regularly, learned a variety of skills, and then left for the Western Front at the Point of Embarkation nearby. The main purpose of building the camp was for an artillery firing range and training schools, including the Army Air Service Balloon Observation School, later named the Lee Hall Balloon School due to the camp’s proximity to Lee Hall Mansion and the surrounding village. Coincidentally, Lee Hall was home to one of the first observation balloon launches. During the Civil War, a hot air balloon was launched by Confederate forces on the land between Lee Hall and Wynne’s Mill.[3]
The Lee Hall Balloon School, founded in 1918, taught soldiers balloon observation and artillery skills. Little did they know that the war would end later that year. While the balloon school stayed open for a few more years, it eventually closed in the 1920s. Despite its short-lived time as a balloon school, Camp Eustis, renamed Fort Eustis in 1923, would go on to be a central part of Newport News and would have a significant impact on the United States Army Air Service and Transportation during World War II and the ensuing Cold War.[4]
Wartime Balloons
America’s first manned hot air hydrogen gas balloon flight launched from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1793. Hot air balloons became a significant part of reconnaissance when the Union and the Confederacy used them for surveillance during the American Civil War. By World War I, technology had advanced, and balloons (commonly known as dirigibles, or rigid airships like the German Zeppelins) had even more versatility. The use of aircraft for military purposes such as bombing, strafing, and observation of enemy movements grew in popularity, beginning with the Wright brother’s first flight in 1903 to the first use of fighter planes in World War I. Aerial balloon observation found its place in the war for its ability to be a mobile observation station from a substantial height that could be taken to and used on the battlefield. The observations provided insight into the condition of the battlefield and could help commanders be aware of their current situation. Observation balloons could also be used to gain a general understanding of what artillery firing had occurred during the battle. In the right weather conditions, these balloons would take two men up so that they could record their findings and report them back to their commanders. Below are three images are taken from the Lee Hall Balloon School during observation.[5]
During World War I, aerial observation started moving away from using hot air balloons and instead began to favor kite balloons. A kite balloon is a long cylindrical balloon, with two rounded ends. An airbag inside the balloon, called a ballonet, fills it with gas and helps to maintain its shape. Captive balloons, which are balloons tethered to the ground, sit at a thirty-to-forty-degree angle from the ground. Like a kite, they face the wind at a diagonal, which is how they got their name. Balloon observers would be stationed in the cage, which was a basket that hung underneath the balloon made from woven willow and bamboo. At the rear end of the balloon and on both sides, sails prevented the tail from dragging the balloon down, and kept it stable.[6]
The crew for a kite balloon included a balloon officer, pilot, officer in charge, commander to the ground station, and a ground crew. The balloon officer was the man stationed in the car of the balloon and was responsible for taking the reports of what he observed. The pilot of the car squad helped with the installation and maintenance of the telephone line and other equipment. He also assisted the balloon officer. The officer in charge supervised and instructed the workers on the balloon, and the commander of the ground station led the men of the ground crew. This group consisted of at least forty-five men—eight groups with five men and one leader. They were divided up, and each group was responsible for the balloon, the car, or the mooring cables, which kept the balloon connected to the ground.[7]
The balloon officer and observer faced many challenges as they were responsible for making the report. Many obstacles made it difficult for them to see clearly or led them to misinterpret the scene, which could cost many soldiers’ lives. Moreover, a wooded area with many trees prevented the observer from getting a clear view of the ground. He also had to worry about the position of the sun. Ideally, the sun would be located behind the observer to avoid a backlit picture. Dust and smoke, as well as other dark backgrounds, made it difficult to see. Even if the view was clear, troops that were well-hidden or not moving could be very difficult to spot. Below is an image of the grounds crew standing ready next to a kite balloon.[8]
The Lee Hall Balloon School was one of only three schools of its kind. Of these three, Lee Hall was the only one to offer land and water observation training. Neither balloon observation nor artillery firing was a new concept. Yet Lee Hall Balloon School was the first to combine them. Students at the Lee Hall Balloon School also became familiar with using the Holt tractor. Holt tractors were used to carry heavy loads of artillery and ammunition that would originally take twelve horses to manage. By the time the war ended, thousands of Holt tractors were used by Allied forces, including those at the Lee Hall Balloon School. Pictures taken in 1918, such as the one below, show the soldiers using this piece of equipment. One of these tractors can be seen on display today at the Virginia War Museum.[9]
Legacies
World War I and the creation of Camp Eustis played a significant part in the expansion of Newport News, but the city’s progress did not come without sacrifices on the part of the community. Out of all the land purchased by the government for the formation of training camps, none displaced as many families as Camp Eustis. The government purchased 5,672 acres of land on Mulberry Island for $538,000. This displaced 200 families, the majority of whom were African Americans. In 1918, roughly sixty percent of the land on Mulberry Island was owned by African American families. The government gave the people thirty days to move as much as they could from their homes. Unfortunately, many people were forced to leave their deceased loved ones behind as most of the families living on Mulberry Island had been there for generations and had created family gravesites. There are currently nine of these known abandoned gravesites. After construction of Camp Eustis began, the abandoned homes were used by the army for artillery training.[10]
Before World War I, Newport News was simply a small town in Virginia. However, the impact of the war would elevate Newport News to a modern city. In 1917, the rapid population growth required the government to provide better utilities, highways, and infrastructure to its citizens. Due to its location, Newport News became a massive point of embarkation, as thousands of soldiers were shipped off to Europe to fight in the war. The increased population and the need for more facilities led to job opportunities, and even more population growth. Eventually, as the numbers reached ten thousand, real estate prices doubled. World War I led to the construction of the first highway on the peninsula, which went from Fort Monroe to Newport News, and on to Richmond. In 1923, Camp Eustis became a permanent fixture of Newport News and changed its name to Fort Eustis. Embarkation, training schools, and the need for new infrastructure caused the population of the area to increase from 26,246 to 47,013 in only ten years. With the success of Camp Eustis and the Lee Hall Balloon School, Newport News transformed into the busy city we know today.[11]
Folks visiting Newport News or residents of Hampton Roads can all enjoy learning about the history of our city. To learn more about Camp Eustis and the Lee Hall Balloon School and view a real Holt Tractor, please stop by the Virginia War Museum.
Acknowledgements
We would like to give special thanks to Jerry Coggeshall, Registrar at the Virginia War Museum, and CNU History Alumnus, J. Michael Moore, Curator at Lee Hall and Historic Endview, who gave their time and expertise to this project, as well as Dr. Chris McDaid, Archaeologist/Cultural Resources Manager at Fort Eustis, who provided invaluable resources for this research. We also greatly appreciate these historical experts and practitioners who peer-reviewed this exhibit.
About the Author
Anna Lynn Thornsberry received her BA in history and museum studies at Christopher Newport University in 2023. She completed this exhibit as a service-learning project for the Virginia War Museum. She also interned at the Mariners’ Museum and currently works at the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown. She plans to pursue a career in museum education.
Notes
[1] John V. Quarstein and Parke Rouse, Newport News: A Centennial History (Newport News, VA: City of Newport News, 1996), 7-8, 87. For information on Newport News Shipbuilding and Huntington Ingalls Industries, see: ABOUT US – Company | HII
[2] Interview with J. Michael Moore, Lee Hall Mansion; N.a. “History of Fort Eustis.” Joint Base Langley-Eustis. United States of America Department of Defense. Accessed 20 September 2022, https://www.jble.af.mil/About-Us/Fort-Eustis-History/.
[3] Interview with J. Michael Moore, Lee Hall Mansion, Newport News, Virginia.
[4] Interview with J. Michael Moore, Lee Hall Mansion, Newport News, Virginia. For a concise history of Fort Eustis, see: History of Fort Eustis (af.mil)
[5] Interview with J. Michael Moore, Lee Hall Mansion; Emil Widmer, Military Observation Balloons (Captive and Free): A Complete Treatise on Their Manufacture, Equipment, Inspection, and Handling, with Special Instructions for the Training of a Field Balloon Company (New York: D. Van Nostrand Company, 1917), 80.
[6] Widmer, “Military Observation Balloons (Captive and Free): A Complete Treatise on Their Manufacture, Equipment, Inspection, and Handling, with Special Instructions for the Training of a Field Balloon Company,” 1-4; Lee Kennett, The First Air War 1914-1918, (New York: The Free Press, 1991), 6.
[7] Widmer, “Military Observation Balloons,” 28, 81.
[8] Widmer, “Military Observation Balloons,” 28, 81.
[9] N.a. “History of Fort Eustis,” Joint Base Langley-Eustis (United States of America Department of Defense), accessed 14 November 2021, https://www.jble.af.mil/About-Us/Fort-Eustis-History/; Artillery, Virginia War Museum.
[10] Pete Regan, Bound in a Brilliant Tide: The History of Mulberry Island, Virginia (Air Force Civil Engineer Center, U.S. Air Force), 32-34; n.a., “Approves Allotment for Balloon School,” The Evening Star, 26 August 1918, (accessed 17 November 2021).
[11] John V. Quarstein and Parke Rouse, “Newport News: A Centennial History,” 7-8, 88, 92, 94.