Bernt Balchen: Polar Aviatior PDF
Preview Bernt Balchen: Polar Aviatior
ISBN 1-56098-906-8 781 560"989066l > MOUW SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION PRESS Washington and London To Bernt Balchen's Carpetbaggers and the crewmen of the Ve Bo It Squadron who braved Norway's wartime shies © 1999 by Carroll V. Glines All rights reserved Copy editor: Debbie K. Hardin Production editor: Ruth Spiegel Designer: Janice Wheeler Cartographer: Rod Eyer Library of Congress CataloginginPublication Data Glines, Carroll V., 1920 Bernt Balchen : polar aviator / by Carroll V. Glines p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN: 1560989068 (alk. paper) 1. Balchen, Bernt, 18991973. 2. Air pilots—United States—Biography. 3. Explorers—United States—Biography. 4. Arctic regions. 5. Antarctica. 6. Aeronautics—Flights. I. Title. G585.B3G58 1999 9i9.8'o4'o92—dc2i [B] 9920698 British Library CataloguinginPublication Data available Manufactured in the United States of America © © The recycled paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of the American National Standard for Information Sciences— Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials ANSI Z39.481948. For permission to reproduce illustrations appearing in this book, please correspond directly with the owners of the works as listed in the individual captions. The Smithsonian Institution Press does not retain reproduction rights for these illustrations or maintain a file of addresses for photo sources. Contents Foreword by George L. Weiss v Acknowledgments vii Introduction ix 1. Spitsbergen , 2. The Lad from Tveit x6 5. Introduction to a New World 26 4. The Flight of the America 43 5. Tragedy and Prelude to Triumph 59 6. To the South Pole 73 7. Fame and Misfortune 94 8. Prelude to War us 9. The Challenge of Blule West 8 i 33 10. "War Below Zero" i JO 11. Operations Sonnie and Ball 167 12. Operation Where and When and the Sepals Project 188 15. From Airline Copresident to Squadron Commander 205 iv Contents 14. "The Most Unpleasant Years of My Life" 227 15. An Autobiography Raises a Storm 250 16. The World's Polar Consultant 268 Appendix 279 Notes 281 Bibliography 300 Index 303 Foreword Bernt Balchen is one of the least recognized public figures in America, yet he was a hero to individuals the public called heroes. He was a leader of those who called themselves leaders. He was a person who managed to remain mostly anonymous to the public despite the honors he received throughout his lifetime. He never sought fame; rather it seemed to seek him. He sought chal lenge and in doing so found his role in life. He sought excellence and won international acclaim. He believed in freedom and fought for it in the uni forms of three nations. As a flyer he had few peers. It was Balchen the famous names sought out when they launched expeditions across oceans and uncharted conti nents. He was the first to fly above the South Pole and the first to see both Poles from the air. Balchen the man was much like Balchen the hero. Fame and honors had little apparent effect on him. He managed to retain his low profile because he never took himself that seriously. He became an explorer because he possessed the flight and navigation skills few men had in those early days of aviation. He was an arctic ex pert because his life was tied to the arctic and survival was the only way of life there. He became a Norwegian resistance hero because his homeland needed him. He fought as a Finnish soldier in World War I because he under stood that if Finland fell, Norway would follow. He was a friend to everyone—to the mechanic on whom he depended to change his spark plugs or a king who could cut red tape with a prime minister who stood in his way when he had a job to do. v vi Foreword He professed not to be a public speaker but could speak without notes on the future of aviation or the need for air power. Adversity was not unknown to Bernt Balchen. Within the space of minutes he was congratulated by a president in the White House and handed a summons ordering his deportation as he left the grounds. He became a colonel in the U.S. Air Force, drove out Nazi weather sta tions from Greenland during the war, rescued airmen downed on the Greenland ice cap. He was outspoken and hated sham and pretense. His candor won him enemies, and the Senate never promoted him to star rank. Balchen's friend, Lowell Thomas, paid fitting tribute: "He was the last of the great Norsemen." George L. Weiss, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Air Force (Retired) Former Pentagon Editor, Armed Forces Journal Acknowledgments Of the many pilots who represent the Golden Age of Flight, Bernt Balchen is further distinguished: educated, modest, artistically talented, and with flying skills far more proficient than his contemporaries. To my delight, he kept excellent notes, diaries, sketches, and correspondence files throughout his life. These were judiciously distributed to archives throughout the country after his death by his widow Audrey, who has a keen appreciation of the historical significance of her late husband's ac complishments. I am greatly indebted to her for providing continual en couragement and extensive background knowledge. I am also indebted to the Royal Norwegian Embassy, the curators at the National Archives and Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., the Air Force Museum, and the Ford Museum for their cooperation. Espe cially helpful was archivist Joseph D. Caver of the Air Force Historical Research Agency at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, where most of the Balchen files of military significance are located. And I am grateful to Dr. Raimund E. Goerler, director, and Bertha L. Ihnat and Laura J. Kissel, archives assistants at the Byrd Polar Research Center at Ohio State Uni versity, for their efficiency in providing the Richard E. Byrd files for re view. Thanks are also owed to Duane J. Reed, chief of Special Collections at the Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado, who filled in gaps related to Balchen's contributions to the Air Force. Bruno A. Yoka, who served on the Greenland Coast Guard patrol during World War II provided interesting information about operations there. H. V. "Pat" Reilly, executive director of the Aviation Hall of Fame of New Jersey, sent valuable background on the Atlantic flight and the French museum at VersurMer. vii viii Acknowledgments Because many of Bernt Balchen's activities during World War II were classified top secret and the participants on the missions he led were sworn to maintain that secrecy until several years ago, there was reluc tance on the part of a few to respond to queries. However, I am indebted to Col. Robert W. Fish and two dozen members of the 8oist/492nd Bomb Group and Balchen's Ve Do It Squadron for providing anecdotes, information, and photographs about that phase of the air war. Knut Ha grup, former president of Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS), also pro vided invaluable history on the airline. Signe Balchen, cousin of Bernt Balchen, sent photographs, as did Lars Gyllenhaal, Oyvind Aaonevik, Kjell Agren, and Torbjorn Olausson. Ornunf Thune and Toril McGowan provided valuable translation services. My appreciation is also extended to Fred W. Hotson, past president of the Canadian Aviation Historical Society, for providing background and photographs about Balchen's pioneering days in Canada. Fred Schempf furnished information about the ioth Rescue Squadron; Lowell Thomas, Jr., also provided information about Balchen on the recordsetting round theworld flight on which they were passengers. The superb artistic ability of Rod Eyer to produce excellent maps is also very much appreciated, and my thanks are also extended to him for locating rare photographs. Sincere appreciation is extended to Smithsonian Institution Press for continuing—through its History of Aviation series—to honor the men and women who led the way in developing aviation.
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