Corry Satellite: The Origins of the Union Army Balloon Corps 1861
In this presentation, Brian Graff, retired geographer/cartographer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, will focus on the very fitful birth of the Union Army Balloon Corps that occurred in the first 6 months of the Civil War. There were many obstacles to using balloons for military applications and the creation of the Balloon Corps nearly did not occur. How it finally came to exist, despite all the setbacks, is an interesting study of technological innovation during war.
Location: Corry Higher Education Council – 221 N Center St., Corry, PA 16407
Date/Time: Tuesday, August 19, 6-7:30PM
Admission: FREE
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Brian Graff is a retired federal employee who moved to Erie, Pennsylvania, from Washington, D.C. in 2016. As a geographer for the government, he had a varied career with service at the Defense Mapping Agency, the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the Army Corps of Engineers. Mr. Graff earned an M.A. in Geography at the University of Illinois in 1983 and an M.S. in Strategic Science from the Joint Military Intelligence College in 2006. His Master’s thesis earned the 2005-2006 Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz Award for Excellence in Archival Research. Since coming to Erie, Mr. Graff has volunteered at various organizations, such as the Hagen History Center (Erie County Historical Society), the Erie Cemetery, and Hooked on Books. He has had a lifetime interest in the Civil War, and is a frequent speaker at the Erie County Civil War Roundtable and the Crawford County Civil War Roundtable.
