Balbo, Italo, 1896-1940

Italo Balbo (b. June 5, 1896-d. June 28, 1940), an officer in the Italian Royal Army during World War I and a leader in the Italian Fascist movement, is perhaps best known for the Summer 1933 round-trip flight of twenty-four flying boats from Rome to Chicago, Illinois's Century of Progress fair. He served as Libya's governor-general until 1940 when his plane was shot down by friendly fire near Tobruk, Libya.

From the description of Balbo, Italo, 1896-1940 (U.S. National Archives and Records Administration). naId: 10567860