Gene Savoy
A swashbuckling modern explorer, he claimed to have found dozens of lost cities in the Peruvian jungle.
1927–2007 (age 80)·American explorer and theologian·Birthday: May 11·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Gene Savoy lived a life that seemed ripped from a pulp adventure novel. In the 1960s, he traded a conventional existence for the mist-shrouded slopes of the Andes, becoming a self-taught archaeologist and explorer. Leading expeditions financed through his own means and sheer force of will, he announced the discoveries of numerous pre-Columbian sites, most famously Vilcabamba, the final stronghold of the Inca resistance. His methods and some of his claims were debated by academic archaeologists, but his undeniable flair brought public attention to Peru's ancient past. In a second act, he founded a unique religious movement, the International Community of Christ, blending Christian and esoteric thought. Savoy remained a figure of controversy and fascination—a true independent who operated entirely outside established institutions, driven by a relentless personal quest.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Gene was born in 1927, placing them squarely in The Greatest 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 Gene Was Born
The biggest hits of 1927
#1 Movie
Wings
Gene's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1927Born
Lindbergh flies solo across the Atlantic; The Jazz Singer premieres
President: Calvin Coolidge"My Blue Heaven" — Gene Austin
1932Started school
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1940Became a teenager
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1943Could drive
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1945Could vote
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1948Turned 21
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1957Turned 30
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1967Turned 40
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1977Turned 50
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 60
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 70
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 80
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
Key Achievements
- Led the expedition that identified the ruins of Espiritu Pampa as the lost Inca city of Vilcabamba in 1964.
- Discovered and named the archaeological site Gran Pajaten in the Peruvian cloud forest.
- Founded and served as Head Bishop of the International Community of Christ, Church of the Second Advent.
- Wrote several books detailing his explorations and his theological ideas.
- Conducted multiple 'Jungle Expeditions' to search for evidence of ancient trans-oceanic contact.
Did You Know?
He was a licensed pilot and used small aircraft to survey remote jungle regions.
Before exploring, he worked as a journalist and newspaper editor in Reno, Nevada.
He claimed to have discovered over 40 lost cities in Peru, though many are not widely recognized by mainstream archaeology.
His religious community was based in Reno and later in Peru.
“Exploration is the physical expression of the Intellectual Passion.”
