Bernt Balchen

	BERNT BALCHEN Colonel U.S. Air Force 1899-1973 Pilot - Polar Explorer
	Born Tveit, Topdal, Norway. Pilot, Royal Norwegian Naval Air Service, 1921. Flew for Amundsen and Ellsworth Arctic expeditions, 1925. Developed polar air navigation systems. Only pilot to fly over both North and South Poles. Hero of the 1927 transatlantic flight of the Fokker monoplane "America". Chief pilot of Byrd Antartic expeditions of 1928-30. In World War II, established air bases in Greenland and personally rescued 51 air crewmen from the ice cap. Founded and operated air shuttle to Norway and Sweeden to support underground forces. A founder of the Scandinavian Airlines System.
	Elected to the International Aerospace Hall of Fame 1976