Bernt Balchen
A Norwegian-born adventurer who conquered both poles by air, flying Amundsen to glory and surviving a crash in the frozen Antarctic.
1899–1973 (age 74)·United States Army Air Forces officer·Birthday: October 23·The Lost Generation
Biography
Bernt Balchen was a man of ice and air, a pilot whose nerve and navigational genius opened the planet's most hostile frontiers. Born in Norway, he cut his teeth as a mechanic and pilot for legendary explorer Roald Amundsen. His cool skill was proven in 1925, helping save Amundsen's team after a crash landing near the North Pole. But his defining moment came in 1929 as the pilot of the Floyd Bennett, the aircraft that carried Admiral Richard E. Byrd on the first flight over the South Pole. Balchen was the one who actually flew the plane, calculating the risky ascent over the Transantarctic Mountains to secure their place in history. When World War II erupted, he offered his unparalleled Arctic expertise to the Allies, running perilous supply flights from Greenland and later commanding Allied air forces in Scandinavia. Balchen's life was a series of firsts and rescues, a blend of technical mastery and raw courage that made him a foundational figure in both polar aviation and military operations in the frozen north.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Bernt was born in 1899, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bernt Was Born
The biggest hits of 1899
Bernt's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1899Born
President: William McKinley
1904Started school
New York City opens its first subway line
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1912Became a teenager
Titanic sinks on its maiden voyage
President: William Howard Taft
1915Could drive
The Lusitania is sunk by a German U-boat
President: Woodrow Wilson
1917Could vote
Russian Revolution overthrows the tsar; US enters WWI
President: Woodrow Wilson
1920Turned 21
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
1929Turned 30
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1939Turned 40
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1949Turned 50
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1959Turned 60
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1969Turned 70
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1973Died at 74
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
Key Achievements
- Piloted the first successful flight over the South Pole with Admiral Richard E. Byrd in 1929.
- Played a crucial role in the 1925 rescue of Roald Amundsen's polar expedition after their aircraft crashed.
- Commanded the Allied air forces in Scandinavia during World War II, leveraging his Arctic expertise.
- Was a key figure in establishing and operating the crucial Greenland air ferry route for Allied aircraft during WWII.
- Received the U.S. Distinguished Flying Cross for his pioneering polar flight and wartime service.
Did You Know?
He was a champion boxer in the Norwegian military before becoming an aviator.
Balchen helped train the pilots for the famous Doolittle Raid on Tokyo in 1942.
He became a naturalized American citizen in 1931.
He wrote several books about his adventures, including the autobiography 'Come North with Me'.
A mountain in Antarctica, Mount Balchen, is named in his honor.
“The Arctic is not a place for the unprepared; it demands respect and punishes mistakes.”
