Ritter,
This is an Upson balloon. IIRC we've covered it in the past because you have at least one other photo of an Upson circa 1917.
As for this particular photo postcard...to paraphrase:
During Pershing's 1916 expedition into Mexico, the Goodyear Company provided the Army with an airship to be used as an observation platform. It was flown with the Ohio Field Artillery by Ralph Upson, a civilian and inventor of the balloon. It met with about the same success as Foulois' aeroplane squadron: less than optimal.*
*camp-john-wise-aerostation.com
AFAIK there are now two photos of this balloon--this W.H.Horne photo and the one attached below--the oldest American-designed and built kite balloon that I know of.
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Kees
But more research is needed to verify the use of this balloon during that punitive action.
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O.F.A. (??) .. Ohio Field Artillery .. I rest my case.
Cheers