Robert G. Williscroft served 23 years in the U.S. Navy and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). He commenced his service as an enlisted nuclear Submarine Sonar Technician, was selected for the Navy Enlisted Scientific Education Program, and graduated from University of Washington in Marine Physics and Meteorology. He returned to nuclear submarines as the Navy’s first Poseidon Weapons Officer. Subsequently, he served as Navigator, and as Diving & Salvage and Saturation Diving Officer on both catamaran mother vessels for the Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle, and then as Officer in Charge of the Navy Saturation Diving School, and of the Test Operations Group out of San Diego, conducting deep-ocean surveillance and data acquisition.
In NOAA Dr. Williscroft directed diving operations throughout the Pacific and Atlantic. NOAA published his Doctoral dissertation, A Method for Protecting Scuba Divers from the Hazards of Contaminated Water, and distributed it around the world to interested ports and diving activities. He is a certified diving instructor for the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI) and the Multinational Diving Educators Association (MDEA), and has taught over 3,000 individuals both basic and advanced SCUBA diving. He authored three diving books, developed the first NAUI drysuit course, developed advanced curricula for mixed gas and other specialized diving modes, and developed and taught a NAUI course on the Math and Physics of Advanced Diving. He also served three shipboard years in the high Arctic conducting baseline studies, and thirteen months at the geographic South Pole in charge of National Science Foundation atmospheric projects.
His military decorations include:
Good Conduct Medal
National Service Defense Medal
Antarctic Service Medal (w. winterover device)
Unit citation (w. bronze star)
Submarine Dolphins (Silver & Gold)
Fleet Ballistic Missile Patrol Device (w. silver star & 2 bronze stars)
Navy Saturation Diving Officer Pin
NOAA Diving Officer Pin