Ben Abruzzo
Encyclopedia
Benjamin L. Abruzzo was an American hot air balloonist
and businessman. He helped increase the reputation of Albuquerque
as a center of lighter-than-air and hot-air ballooning.
. He graduated from the University of Illinois
in 1952, and then entered the United States Air Force
. After graduation, Abruzzo was stationed at Kirtland Air Force Base
in New Mexico
. He would adopt New Mexico as his home state after leaving military service in 1954.
Abruzzo took an interest in hot air ballooning. He was on the crew of the Double Eagle I
in 1977. After the five deaths in the early 1970s, many believed the Double Eagle I would become the first balloon to cross the Atlantic Ocean
. Unfortunately, Abruzzo suffered exposure
and frostbite
while over Iceland
and was forced to abandon the attempt.
The team, this time with Maxie Anderson
and Larry Newman, made a second attempt in the Double Eagle II
in 1978. The team took off from Presque Isle, Maine
on August 11 and made a successful landing in Miserey, France
six days later. For their efforts, the team was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 1979.
Abruzzo was also on the Double Eagle V
team. The Double Eagle V was the first team to cross the Pacific Ocean
in a gas balloon in November 1981. This flight also set a record for longest trip by a team in a balloon.
Abruzzo died in 1985 when his Cessna 421
crashed near Albuquerque. His name lives on in the new Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum
in Albuquerque.
, was also a noted balloonist, Richard disappeared with the balloon that he and Carol Rymer Davis
were piloting in the 2010 The Gordon Bennett Cup race. On 29 September 2010 they disappeared. On 1 October 2010 the event organisers reported that the pilots were likely to be dead following an analysis of transponder data from the balloon which showed a high rate of descent prior to impact with the sea. On 6 December 2010 they were found dead off the coast of Italy.
Balloon (aircraft)
A balloon is a type of aircraft that remains aloft due to its buoyancy. A balloon travels by moving with the wind. It is distinct from an airship, which is a buoyant aircraft that can be propelled through the air in a controlled manner....
and businessman. He helped increase the reputation of Albuquerque
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As...
as a center of lighter-than-air and hot-air ballooning.
Biography
Abruzzo was born in RockfordRockford, Illinois
Rockford is a mid-sized city located on both banks of the Rock River in far northern Illinois. Often referred to as "The Forest City", Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County, Illinois, USA. As reported in the 2010 U.S. census, the city was home to 152,871 people, the third most populated...
. He graduated from the University of Illinois
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
in 1952, and then entered the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
. After graduation, Abruzzo was stationed at Kirtland Air Force Base
Kirtland Air Force Base
Kirtland Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in the southeast quadrant of the Albuquerque, New Mexico urban area, adjacent to the Albuquerque International Sunport. The base was named for the early Army aviator Col. Roy C. Kirtland...
in New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
. He would adopt New Mexico as his home state after leaving military service in 1954.
Abruzzo took an interest in hot air ballooning. He was on the crew of the Double Eagle I
Double Eagle I
Double Eagle I was a helium balloon piloted by Ben Abruzzo and Maxie Anderson in a failed attempt to cross the Atlantic Ocean in 1977. The balloon launched from Marshfield, Massachusetts on September 9. After being blown off course by stormy weather, the team was forced to ditch three miles off the...
in 1977. After the five deaths in the early 1970s, many believed the Double Eagle I would become the first balloon to cross the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. Unfortunately, Abruzzo suffered exposure
Hypothermia
Hypothermia is a condition in which core temperature drops below the required temperature for normal metabolism and body functions which is defined as . Body temperature is usually maintained near a constant level of through biologic homeostasis or thermoregulation...
and frostbite
Frostbite
Frostbite is the medical condition where localized damage is caused to skin and other tissues due to extreme cold. Frostbite is most likely to happen in body parts farthest from the heart and those with large exposed areas...
while over Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
and was forced to abandon the attempt.
The team, this time with Maxie Anderson
Maxie Anderson
Max Leroy Anderson was an American hot air balloonist and businessman. He helped place Albuquerque on the map as the balloon capital of the world...
and Larry Newman, made a second attempt in the Double Eagle II
Double Eagle II
Double Eagle II, piloted by Ben Abruzzo, Maxie Anderson, and Larry Newman, became the first balloon to cross the Atlantic Ocean when it landed 17 August 1978 in Miserey near Paris, 137 hours 6 minutes after leaving Presque Isle, Maine....
in 1978. The team took off from Presque Isle, Maine
Presque Isle, Maine
Presque Isle is the commercial center and largest city in the sparsely populated Aroostook County, Maine, United States. The population was 9,692 at the 2010 census...
on August 11 and made a successful landing in Miserey, France
Miserey
Miserey is a commune in the Eure department in Haute-Normandie in northern France.-Population:...
six days later. For their efforts, the team was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 1979.
Abruzzo was also on the Double Eagle V
Double Eagle V
Double Eagle V, piloted by Ben Abruzzo, Larry Newman, Ron Clark and Rocky Aoki, was the first balloon to cross the Pacific Ocean. It launched from Nagashima, Japan on November 10, 1981, and landed in Mendocino National Forest in California 84 hours and 31 minutes later, travelling a record 5,768...
team. The Double Eagle V was the first team to cross the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
in a gas balloon in November 1981. This flight also set a record for longest trip by a team in a balloon.
Abruzzo died in 1985 when his Cessna 421
Cessna 421
-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Taylor, John W.R. . Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1976-77. London:Jane's Yearbooks, 1976. ISBN 0-354-00538-3....
crashed near Albuquerque. His name lives on in the new Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum
Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum
The Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum is a museum dedicated to the worldwide history, science, and art of all types of ballooning and lighter-than-air flight...
in Albuquerque.
Family
His son, Richard AbruzzoRichard Abruzzo
Richard Abruzzo was an American balloonist.His father was Ben Abruzzo and was from Albuquerque, New Mexico.He and Carol Rymer Davis won the 2004 Gordon Bennett Cup....
, was also a noted balloonist, Richard disappeared with the balloon that he and Carol Rymer Davis
Carol Rymer Davis
Carol Ann Rymer Davis was an American balloonist, and radiologist. She and Richard Abruzzo won the 2004 Gordon Bennet Cup. She was awarded the 2005 Harmon Trophy....
were piloting in the 2010 The Gordon Bennett Cup race. On 29 September 2010 they disappeared. On 1 October 2010 the event organisers reported that the pilots were likely to be dead following an analysis of transponder data from the balloon which showed a high rate of descent prior to impact with the sea. On 6 December 2010 they were found dead off the coast of Italy.