Bob Ballard: An Explorer's | Life

In 1985, Ballard made his most famous discovery: the wreckage of the . However, the mission itself was actually a top-secret Navy project to survey two lost nuclear submarines, the USS Thresher and USS Scorpion . Only after completing the military objective was Ballard permitted to use the remaining time to search for the famous liner.

John F. Kennedy's lost World War II patrol boat in the Solomon Islands. Bob Ballard: An Explorer's Life

The massive German battleship, found in water 4,000 feet deeper than the Titanic. In 1985, Ballard made his most famous discovery:

Born in Wichita, Kansas in 1942, Ballard’s path to the deep sea began in San Diego. His fascination with the ocean was ignited at age 12 by the Disney film 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea . He grew up dreaming of being Captain Nemo, a goal he pursued through a unique combination of military service and high-level science. John F

Earned undergraduate degrees in chemistry and geology from the University of California, Santa Barbara .