Bernt Balchen

Bernt Balchen, DFC, ( born October 23, 1899 in Tveit, Kristiansand, Norway, † October 17, 1973 in Mount Kisco, New York, United States) was a Norwegian polar explorer, aviation pioneer and U.S. Colonel.

Life

Bernt Balchen was a member of the first Antarctic expedition of Richard Evelyn Byrd. Between 28 and 29 November 1929, he flew as pilot of the 3- engined aircraft Ford Trimotor named Floyd Bennett became the first man to the South Pole. 1933/34 and 1934/35 he was with Lincoln Ellsworth in Antarctica, to dare with this Transantarctic the first flight, but was not successful. In May 1949, he flew over the North Pole and so was the first man, who had flown over both poles. He was awarded the Harmon Trophy in 1953 for this achievement.

During the Second World War he led a training camp for exiled Norwegians in Toronto who wanted declined to fight with the U.S. Air Force. He checked later, the structure of the U.S. base Qaanaaq in Greenland and the Luleå Kallax Air Base in northern Sweden.

He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Among his awards in the service of the U.S. Armed Forces include the Distinguished Flying Cross, Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit and Air Medal. In his death, 1973, he was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame. Norway awarded him the Order of St. Olav ( Commander with Star ).

Works

• Come North with me. An autobiography. Hodder & Stroughton, Norwich 1958, p 318
• Corey Ford, Oliver La Farge: Kampen om Grønland. Samlerens forlag, Copenhagen 1947, p 137