Page 62: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (February 2020)

Historic Tech Files

The Sixtieth Anniversary of the World’s Deepest Manned Submersible Dive

Trieste Turns 60

Don Walsh shares with Maritime Reporter & Engineering News the experience of being a pioneer of the ocean’s deepest depths.

By Regina Ciardiello

Growing up in the San Francisco lishing in March 2020 a special edition real bene? t to me has been the serious

Bay Area, Capt. Don Walsh decided to commemorating the 50th anniversary of networking that takes place between join the U.S. Navy at Naval Air Station Oceanology International). “My ? rst the ocean science and technology com-

Oakland in 1948, where he became an time (attending Oi) was 1970 or 1971 munity members from many nations. aircrewman in torpedo bombers. Two when the show was held at Brighton,” There is no second place to the three OI years later, he entered the U.S. Naval he says. “Since that time, I have traveled events now being offered, and the value

Academy, and in 1956, he enrolled in many times to the U.K. show as well as they provide — he whole event is an submarine school. Little did he know those in the U.S., Singapore and China.” opportunity-rich environment.” that four years later — in 1960 — he’d Capt. Walsh, a true subsea pioneer, holds Still actively involved with the in- be the ? rst person (along with colleague the exhibition in high regard. “Having dustry, the 88-year-old Walsh serves

Jacques Piccard) to ever travel to the been a part of its early evolution, I was as president of International Maritime, deepest ocean depths onboard the sub- convinced that the Oi series were the a consulting company he established mersible known as the Bathyscaph Tri- ‘gold standard’ of ocean-related exhibi- in 1976. The company, which focuses este (Trieste), which in 2020 celebrates tions and their associated conferences,” on deep ocean engineering, has since th its 60 anniversary he says. “Today, I believe this is not an completed more than 100 projects in 20

During his tenure as Of? cer-in-Charge assertion or opinion — it is a fact. The countries. of Trieste, Capt. Walsh was designated

USN Deep Submersible Pilot #1. In

January 1960, he and Piccard dove

Trieste to the deepest known spot in the ocean: 35,840 feet down. For this achievement, Lieutenant Walsh received a medal from then-President Eisenhower at the White House. In the years follow- ing the Trieste expedition, Commander

Walsh served from 1970-1975 on duty in Washington DC as Special Assistant (Submarines) to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research and Develop- ment (ASNR&D) and later as Deputy

Director of Navy Laboratories. He re- tired from military life in 1975 with the rank of Captain. His accomplishments brought attention of Oceanology Inter- national Exhibition event organizers;

Capt. Walsh has attended the event, in various locales, as a speaker, attendee, and consultant. (MR sister publication MTR is pub- 62 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • February 2020

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