Don Walsh Obituary, A Cherished Soul Has Sadly Died

Don Walsh Obituary, Death – It is with great regret that I must inform you of the demise of Explorers Club Medalist Captain Don Walsh MED’61. Captain Walsh, along with Jacques Piccard, was the first human to reach the bottom of the Challenger Deep, which is 10,916 meters deep.

The story of The Explorers Club is built on a solid foundation, and the voyage to Challenger Deep is an important element of that foundation. One of our five Famous Firsts, Don figuratively and literally established the benchmark by which we as explorers judge our own accomplishments.

First to the Poles, First to Everest, First to the Moon – when we walk on Mars, that achievement will be in no little part thanks to the runway established by Don, and an unstoppable generation of trailblazers like him who have made this Club what it is today. Don was the first person to reach the poles, the first person to reach Everest, and the first person to walk on the moon.

Don was awarded The Explorers Club Medal in 20o1, the greatest distinction that the Club is able to confer, in recognition of this amazing achievement as well as his lifelong dedication to the field of field research and engineering. Don was also honored with our Lowell Thomas Award; he participated in our organization as one of our Honorary Members; and he presided over our organization as our Honorary President for a number of years.

Don was a significant advisor to the Deepsea Challenger Expedition in March of 2012, and he spoke with James Cameron MED’03 on the ocean floor after Cameron became the third person to reach the Challenger Deep.

In the year 2020, when Don was on board the support ship, Kelly Vescovo, Don’s son, joined Victor Vescovo at the bottom of the trench onboard Limiting Factor. This made Don and Kelly the first father and son team to reach the bottom of the deepest point together.

In addition to his pioneering dives, Walsh made significant contributions in other areas as well. He was a crucial figure in the establishment of the International Maritime Incidents and Reporting System, which emphasized the need of safety in underwater exploration. He also played a pivotal role in the development of the International Maritime Incidents and Reporting System.

Don was appointed to the United States National Advisory Committee on Oceans and Atmosphere by both President Carter and President Reagan. In addition, he was a member of the Law of the Sea Advisory Committee for the United States Department of State and served on the Marine Board of the United States National Research Council during his time in public service.

Although Don’s legacy will leave an indelible mark on the annals of field research and exploration, what distinguishes him most is his unwavering dedication to education throughout his whole life and his inclination to act as a guide and inspiration to future generations of adventurers.

His dedication to quality, both as a Naval Officer and as a friend to his colleagues, is in keeping with the greatest traditions of The Explorers Club, and his memory will live on in the work that he left behind, as well as in the hearts of explorers all across the world.

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