Coblenz, Mar. 1 — Twenty-two American observation balloons were destroyed in the war, most of them by German aviators. One fatality resulted, the balloonist’s parachute catching fire from sparks from the burning balloon. Each balloon cost $8,000, and the expense for inflation was about $350 for gas.
Anti-aircraft guns used to protect observation balloons accounted for four German aviators. In each case the enemy flying machine being brought down after the aviator had set fire to the American balloon by incendiary bullets.
Grants Pass Daily Courier, Grants Pass, OR, March 1, 1919
Editor’s Note
You will see numbers in the article title and article do not match, which is from the original source. According to Balloons and Dirigibles in WWI, American balloons were “attacked 89 times; 35 burned, 12 were shot down by enemy fire and one floated into enemy lines.”