Named WWI 18th Balloon Company Sergeant’s Uniform, Photograph Album, and Documents Group

The group is comprised of the summer weight khaki uniform tunic, breeches, wool overseas cap, pistol belt, photograph album, and documents of Sergeant William B. Hunter of the 18th Balloon Company of the American Expeditionary Force. The cotton khaki tunic carries “U.S.” and Army Signal Corps collar disks. The tunic has a the Aero Service cockade patch on the left shoulder, below which is a red discharge chevron and a single bullion overseas service chevron. On the right sleeve is the rank chevron of a Sergeant of the Army Air Service. The contract tag remains inside of the tunic, while the collar bears the handwritten name of “Bill Hunter”. The tunic shows wear and use, with some spots, but the tunic is without holes, repairs, or damage. The uniform also includes the matching cotton khaki breeches, also with the contractor tag inside. The group also includes a wool overseas cap with an enameled winged propeller pin on the front. The cap shows a few small scattered holes, with intact leather sweatband and lining. The web pistol belt carries the pistol magazine pouch as well as the medical bandage pouch, both of which are marked to the 18th Balloon Company. The unopened bandage remains in the bandage pouch. The group further includes a photograph album that is approximately 7 inches by 11 inches, lacking the rear cover and with multiple detached album pages. The album contains approximately 163 postcard sized images. Many of these were produced with a caption printed as a part of the image, including a number of rather grisly images. Other pieces are commercially produced postcards, while still more are photographs are original images of the Balloon Company’s personnel and equipment that were printed in a postcard format. A large identified Balloon Company group that is in overall very good condition.

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