Albert William Stevens
Albert William Stevens (March 13, 1886 – March 26, 1949) was an officer of the United States Army Air Corps, balloonist, and aerial photographer.
Albert William Stevens
US Federal Government · Find a Grave website /US Federal Government · Public domain
- Name
- Albert William Stevens
- Born
- 13 March 1886
- Birthplace
- Belfast, Maine, U.S.
- Place of death
- Redwood City, California, U.S.
- Awards
- * Distinguished Flying Cross × 2
- Died
- 1949 · Redwood City.
- Nationality
- United States
- Occupation
- photographer · balloonist · military officer
- Honours
- Hubbard Medal
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Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q4381838 · wikipedia · Albert William Stevens
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The documentary record
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Institutions cited
Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
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Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Albert William Stevens • Born — 13 March 1886 • Birthplace — Belfast, Maine, U.S. • Place of death — Redwood City, California, U.S. • Branch — Army Air Corps • Rank — Captain • Branch Label — Branch • Commands — Explorer II • Battles — World War II • Battles Label — Wars • Awards — * Distinguished Flying Cross × 2 • Hubbard Medal (1935) • Mackay Trophy (1935)
Biography
Biography
He was born on March 13, 1886, in Belfast, Maine. He graduated from the University of Maine in 1909 with a master's degree in electrical engineering. While flying over South America in 1930, Stevens took the first photograph of the Earth in a way that the horizon's curvature is visible. To photograph through haze, Stevens often employed infrared-sensitive film for long-distance aerial photography. Accompanied by Lieutenant Charles D. McAllister of the Army Air Corps, Stevens took the first photograph of the Moon's shadow projected onto the Earth during a solar eclipse in August 1932. On July 29, 1934, Stevens and two other Army Air Corps officers, Major William Kepner and Captain Orvil Arson Anderson, ascended in a specially-constructed balloon and gondola named Explorer I over north-western Nebraska in an attempt to exceed the current altitude record for manned flight. However, nearing the current record height, the balloon envelope ruptured, sending the gondola plunging to earth. All three crew were able to eventually exit and parachute to earth before the gondola crashed into a farm field. On November 11, 1935, Stevens, along with Captain Anderson, made a record balloon ascent from the "Stratobowl" (a natural depression) near Rapid City, South Dakota. There were 20,000 spectators, while millions of people listened to a live NBC radio broadcast. Their sealed gondola Explorer II floated to 72395 ft, nearly 14 mi, a world altitude record unequaled until 1946 and a balloon record unequaled until 1956. Stevens was twice awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross – one award for each of his two famous balloon flights. He died on March 26, 1949, in Redwood City, California.
Documentary record
Albert William Stevens, a “Luftfahrer”, officer and photographer, was born on 13 March 1886 in Belfast, Maine. and died on 26 March 1949 in San Carlos, California. Both events are recorded by the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek.
Identity
Identity
Albert William Stevens is recorded as photographer, balloonist and military officer.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1886
Albert William Stevens born at Belfast.
1949
Albert William Stevens died at Redwood City.
Places
Named by the record
Places
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Belfast.
Birth place
Redwood City.
Death place
Text attribution
Licensing
Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Albert William Stevens, revision 1317016111 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
References
Citations
References
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reference work
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Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
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