Bernt Balchen (1899-1973)

Bernt Balchen, D.F.C., (23 October 1899 – 17 October 1973), was a Norwegian-American polar (and general) aviation pioneer. Born at the farm Myren in Tveit, just outside Kristiansand, Norway, Balchen, at his death, became one of the few Norwegian-born people buried at Arlington Cemetery. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Distinguished Flying Cross. ... October 23 is the 296th day of the year (297th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1899 (MDCCCXCIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday [1] of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... is the 290th day of the year (291st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar) of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. ... Norwegian Americans or (Norwegian Norsk Amerikaner) are an ethnic group in the United States. ... A geographical pole is either of two fixed points on the surface of a spinning body or planet, at 90 degrees from the equator, based on the axis around which a body spins. ... Aviation refers to flying using aircraft, machines designed by humans for atmospheric flight. ... Tveit was municipality of Norway from 1837 until 1964, but is now a part of Kristiansand and host to the citys airport Kjevik. ... County District Sørlandet Municipality NO-1001 Administrative centre Kristiansand Mayor (2004) Jan Oddvar Skisland (KrF) Official language form BokmÃ¥l Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 287 277 km² 259 km² 0. ... Arlington Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington, Virginia, is an American military cemetery established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Robert E. Lees home. ...

During World War II, Balchen was responsible for setting up the pilot training camp/school for Norwegian exiled soldiers, "Little Norway", outside Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Later during the war, as a colonel in the U.S. Army Air Force, he oversaw the establishment of USAAF's polar base at Qaanaaq, Greenland, before moving on to the European Theatre to run Luleå-Kallax Air Base* in northern Sweden (set up for harassing and denying air superiority to Nazi Germany's Luftwaffe over Finland and occupied Norway). After the war, Balchen became a U.S. Air Force colonel. Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Little Norway was a Royal Norwegian Air Force training camp in Canada during World War II. The camp was opened in November 1940, located in the bay area of Toronto, on the shores of Lake Ontario. ... Template:Hide = Motto: Template:Unhide = Diversity Our Strength Image:Toronto, Ontario Location. ... This article or section needs copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone and/or spelling. ... The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) was the aviation component of the United States Army primarily during World War II. The title of Army Air Forces succeeded the prior name of Army Air Corps in June 1941 during preparation for expected combat in what came to be known as... Map of Greenland Qaanaaq (roughly pronounced KAH-nahk), formerly Thule, is a town and municipality in northwestern Greenland. ... In warfare, a theater or theatre is normally used to define a specific geographic area within which armed conflict occurs. ... Coordinates: Country Sweden Municipality LuleÃ¥ Municipality County Norrbotten Province Norrbotten Charter 17th Century Area  - City 2,110 km²  (814. ... Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, commonly refers to Germany in the years 1933–1945, when it was under the firm control of the totalitarian and fascist ideology of the Nazi Party, with the Führer Adolf Hitler as dictator. ... The Deutsche Luftwaffe or   (German: air force, literally Air Weapon IPA: ) is the commonly used term for the German air force. ... Starting with the invasion of April 9, 1940, Norway was under military occupation of German forces and civil rule of a German commissioner in collaboration with a Pro-German puppet government. ... The United States Air Force (USAF) is the aerial warfare branch of the United States armed forces and one of the seven uniformed services. ...

He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, in Section 2, grave 4969; right next to Admiral Byrd.

(* Another Norwegian at Kallax during the same period, serving under Balchen, and getting to be a good friend of him, was marine biologist and explorer-to-be Thor Heyerdahl, later of Ra I and II and Kon-Tiki fame.) Thor Heyerdahl Thor Heyerdahl (October 6, 1914, in Larvik, Norway – April 18, 2002, in Colla Micheri, Italy) was a Norwegian ethnographer and adventurer with a scientific background in zoology and geography. ... The Kon-Tiki raft is shown on the cover of the DVD of the documentary. ...

Major merits

Among Bernt Balchen's merits:

• Taking part in Roald Amundsen's attempt at flying an airship over the North Pole in 1926, though in a last minute decision by Amundsen he was not chosen for the final flight. Later, in his 1958 autobiography, Balchen maintained that Amundsen's competitor, Richard E. Byrd, had been unsuccessful in his own attempt to fly by airplane to the Pole and back a few days earlier. Balchen based this assertion on calculations he made from Byrd's own speed/navigational data.
• Flying the first (experimental) USPS mail transport 'America' across the Atlantic, with Richard E. Byrd, in 1927. Bad weather and low visibility made landing impossible, despite repeated attempts. When the plane ran out of fuel, Balchen landed the wheeled airplane in the sea just off the coast of France, without injury to the crew.
• First person to fly over the South Pole, as pilot for Byrd's flight on 28–29 November 1929.
• In May 1949, while commanding the 10th Rescue Squadron in Alaska, he flew a C-54 Skymaster from Fairbanks, Alaska via the North Pole to Thule Air Base, Greenland—thus becoming the first person to have piloted aircraft over both poles.
• Harmon Trophy winner, as well as recipient of the following military decorations in addition to the U.S. D.F.C.: the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, and the Air Medal. His native Norway honoured Balchen with its highest decoration, the Knighthood of the Order of Saint Olav.
• Being a driving force in the establishment of Det Norske Luftfartselskap (D.N.L.) ("The Norwegian Airline Company"), with which he pioneered commercial Europe↔US airline flights across the North Pole. D.N.L. later merged with Danish and Swedish airlines into the major carrier Scandinavian.

Roald Engelbregt Gravning Amundsen (July 16, 1872 – c. ... For other uses, see North Pole (disambiguation). ... Year 1926 (MCMXXVI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Rear Admiral Richard Evelyn Byrd, USN (October 25, 1888 – March 11, 1957) was a pioneering American polar explorer and famous aviator. ... The United States Postal Service (USPS) is an independent establishment of the executive branch of the United States government (see 39 U.S.C. Â§ 201) responsible for providing postal service in the U.S. Within the United States, it is colloquially referred to simply as the post office. ... It has been suggested that first class mail be merged into this article or section. ... A Dutch-built tri-motor Fokker VII monoplane, the America was flown in 1927 by Richard E. Byrd, Bernt Balchen, George Noville, and Bert Acosta across the Atlantic Ocean. ... “Atlantic” redirects here. ... Rear Admiral Richard Evelyn Byrd, USN (October 25, 1888 – March 11, 1957) was a pioneering American polar explorer and famous aviator. ... Year 1927 (MCMXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see South Pole (disambiguation). ... (Redirected from 28 November) November 28 is the 332nd day (333rd on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... November 29 is the 333rd day of the year (334th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1929 (MCMXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1949 calendar). ... Official language(s) English[1] Spoken language(s) English 85. ... The Douglas C-54 Skymaster was a four-engined transport aircraft used by the United States Army Air Force in World War II. Like the C-47 Skytrain, the C-54 Skymaster was derived from a civilian airliner (the DC-4). ... Fairbanks (IPA: ) is a Home Rule City in Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska, United States. ... The Harmon Aviator Trophy The Harmon Aviatrix Trophy The Harmon Trophy is a set of three international trophies, to be awarded annually to the worlds outstanding aviator, aviatrix (female aviator), and aeronaut (balloon or dirigible). ... A military decoration is a decoration given to military personnel or units for heroism in battle or distinguished service. ... The Distinguished Service Medal is a high level military and civilian decoration of the United States of America which is issued for meritorious service to the government of the United States in either a senior government service position or as a senior officer of the United States armed forces. ... The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. ... The Air Medal is a military decoration of the United States which was established by Executive Order 9158, signed by Franklin D. Roosevelt, on May 11, 1942. ... Order of St. ... Det Norske Luftfartselskap, DNL, Norways flag carrier between 1933 and 1948. ... Scandinavian Airlines System or SAS is a multi-national airline for Denmark, Norway and Sweden, and the leading carrier in the Nordic countries, based in Stockholm, Sweden and owned by SAS AB. It is a founding member of the Star Alliance. ...

See also

• Aviation in Norway

In the early days of Norwegian aviation the Norwegian enthusiasts lacked an engine and were therefore unable to perform real flights. ...

Bibliography

• Balchen, Bernt (ghostwritten) (1958). Come North with Me: An Autobiography. Dutton. 313 pp.
• Balchen, Bernt (1944). War below zero: The battle for Greenland. Houghton Mifflin Co.
• Balchen, Bernt; Bergaust, Erik (1975). The next fifty years of flight: As visualized by Bernt Balchen and told to Erik Bergaust. Xerox University Microfilms; Explorer books edition. 214 pp.

A ghostwriter is a professional writer who is paid to write books, articles, stories, or reports which are officially credited to another person. ...

References

• Balchen, Bess (2004). Poles Apart. Oregon, USA: Elderberry Press. 250 pp. ISBN 1-932762-09-4.
• Isakson, Evelyn Moore (1972). Bernt Balchen: Colonel, United States Air Force, retired: a special report on the unique career of a great American patriot. Hollycrest Enterprises.
• Glines, Carroll V. (1999). Bernt Balchen: Polar Aviator. Smithsonian Books. 310 pp. ISBN 1-56098-906-8.
• New York Times; October 20, 1956; "Balchen will Retire. First Pilot to Fly Over South Pole to Leave Air Force."

The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ... October 20 is the 293rd day of the year (294th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Arlington Cemetery's biography of Balchen, including a photo of Balchen in his USAAF uniform.
• Balchen-related link list, from the website of the Metropolitan News Company, California, USA.
• National Aviation Hall of Fame