American naval aviation force in Europe during the First World War

An item reported that in the First World War the US Navy admiral Sims established an own naval aviation force abroad with a personal strength of around 20,000 men and 5,000 officers stationed along the European coastline between the North Sea and the Adriatic Sea. There were 16 seaplane stations, 4 digibile stations, 3 kite balloon stations, 2 large assembly and repair bases and in northern France a strong bombing group. Nucleus of the force was a group op 5 officers and 100 men.

Source

Information concerning the U.S. Navy and other navies. Office of Naval Intelligence July, 1919 

French navy using balloons according to the Dutch newspaper De Sumatra Post dated 5 August 1912

The French minister of Marine accepted the proposal of engineer Surcouf to salvage the submarine sunk off Cherbourg with air balloons. All French navy harbours were to fitted out with such balloons to start within short time with experiments on a large scale.(1)

Note
1. The Pluviose, sunk on 26 May 1910 2 miles off Calais?

German navy testing manned reconnaissance balloons according to the Dutch magazine Marineblad dated 1897-1898 no. 5

An item referred to the Army and Navy Journal reporting that at Kiel, Germany ballons-captifs were tested which balloons were to be used for reconnaissance purposes. Some of the balloons ware able to reach a height of 1.550 metres and were connected to the decks of torpedo boats steaming with a speed of 18 knots. The scouts were able to see ships on a far distance and their movements and informed the boats while using telegraphs or telephones. The tests were executed during two weeks with excellent results.

German navy testing tethered balloons according to the magazine Mitteilungen aus dem Gebiete des Seewesens 1890 no.11

An item reported that the German navy was experimenting with tethered balloons for which purpose the training ship Mars (1) at Wihelmshaven, Germany was used by a detachment of the Airship division of Berlin, Germany. On 22 September reached the balloon a height of around 400 metres and on the 23rd and 27th were on sea tests executed. In both cases was the air in the balloons to be removed before the tests could start caused by the strong wind.

Note
1. Laid down as a gunnery training ship at the Kaiserliche Werft Wilhelmshaven, Germany in 1877, launched on 15 November 1879, commissioned on 1 March 1881, barracks hulk since 1908 at the Baltic naval station, stricken in 1914 and in 1921 was her hull sold and broken up at Lubeck, Germany.