Henry Ehlers

Henry Ehlers was born to Jacob and Gertrude "Gessie" (Schuette) Ehlers, German born residents that came to the US on the ship Taormina in 1891. With Jacob and Gessie were their small children, Sena, John and Jacob. They settled in the Hardwich, Minnesota area where they added to their family with children Henry, Willie, Anna, Ellie and Dora. They worked as farmers and eventually moved the family into South Dakota near Bushnell.
Henry registered for the draft on June 5, 1918 and his number was called up on July 25, 1918. He was noted to be tall and slender with grey eyes and brown hair. On April 4, 1919 he was aboard the Ostega as part of the 20th Balloon Company and by July of 1919, he was one his way home. Private Ehlers was back home to South Dakota and working on the family farm by 1920.

 

​​

 

_____________________

20th Balloon Company

In World War I, the "20th Balloon Company" refers to a unit likely part of a larger military force, most probably the French army, that operated observation balloons on the battlefield, primarily used for reconnaissance by sending observers high above the front lines to spot enemy troop movements and direct artillery fire; "20th" simply denotes the company number within the balloon corps.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​​

​

 

_________________________________