Craig T. Mullen facts for kids

Craig T. Mullen, born on October 4, 1943, is a famous deep-sea explorer. He has made many important contributions to the world of underwater exploration. He helped develop new technologies and led many research missions deep in the ocean.

Military Service

Craig Mullen served in the United States Navy as a diving officer. This was during the Vietnam War. He worked in the Navy's special program for deep underwater missions. He also helped lead the Navy's diving, salvage, and ocean engineering efforts.

Mullen served two tours in Vietnam. After that, he led a search for missing air crews. These crews were lost at sea off the coast of Vietnam. He worked with a team of civilian experts and divers. They searched for remains among aircraft wreckage found by sonar.

Exploring the Deep Sea

In 1974, Mullen joined Alcoa Marine. This company was part of the Aluminum Company of America. He became the Vice President of Operations. He managed the company's advanced deep ocean research ship, the R/V Alcoa Seaprobe.

The Seaprobe was a special ship made entirely of aluminum. It was built for deep ocean research and recovery. It used a unique search pod with experimental sonar and advanced cameras. This allowed it to scan the ocean floor and send back images and sonar data. The ship could be up to three miles above the ocean floor while doing this.

Discovering the USS Monitor

The R/V Alcoa Seaprobe made history. It provided the first photos of the USS Monitor. This famous Civil War ship was found off Cape Hatteras, South Carolina.

Leading Eastport International

In 1980, Mullen was part of a group that bought Alcoa's share in Alcoa Marine. The company was renamed Eastport International. It became a world leader in developing deep ocean technology. Eastport set new records for successful underwater operations. They worked in water depths deeper than 5,000 meters (about 3.1 miles).

For example, in 1991, Eastport found the shipwreck Lucona. This ship was in the very deep waters of the Indian Ocean. The Navy often chose Eastport to help with its deep ocean search and recovery needs.

Famous Underwater Recoveries

Eastport played a key role in many important projects. These included:

• Recovering parts of the space shuttle Challenger.
• Searching for Korean Air Lines Flight 007.
• Recovering South African Airways Helderberg SA 182.
• Recovering TWA Flight 800.
• Many secret military recovery missions.

Under Mullen's leadership, Eastport worked all over the world. Different governments and private groups chose Eastport. They wanted help finding, documenting, and recovering shipwrecks, aircraft, and space parts. These missions took place in record-breaking depths in all the world's oceans.

New Technologies and Theme Parks

Eastport was also a leader in creating robotic technology. This technology is now used by companies to install and fix underwater fiber optic cables. These cables carry internet and phone data across the oceans.

Eastport even used its engineering skills in a new way. They redesigned and rebuilt the Jaws ride for Universal Studios. Later, they placed many moving dinosaur robots in the Islands of Adventure ride.

Oceaneering and Sconset Marine

In 1993, Mullen helped Eastport merge with Oceaneering International, Inc. This was a large company that worked with oilfields and the government. Mullen became the President of a new part of the company called Oceaneering Advanced Technologies (OTECH) Group. This new group handled all of Oceaneering's non-oilfield work. This included Navy search and recovery, space systems, and ocean cable operations. Mullen led Oceaneering Technologies for over five years. He helped it grow and work on many different projects.

In 1998, Mullen started his own company, Sconset Marine. He helped new technology companies grow their businesses. He also helped them raise money and develop new technologies.

Ocean Research Work

In 2003, Mullen helped start the AURORA Trust Foundation. This foundation works to help us understand the ocean better. It also studies submerged cultural heritage, like ancient shipwrecks. AURORA is very active in the Mediterranean Sea. They have found many ancient shipwreck sites there.

In 2004, Mullen also helped start HLP-Capital. This company invests in international businesses, mostly in the Mediterranean. Through this, he also created two new marine companies. Deep Blue Surveys does surveys of the ocean floor. Deep Blue Ship Charters works in the luxury yacht industry.

Mullen has traveled and published many articles. He has worked in most of the countries around the Mediterranean Sea, from Lebanon to Spain. He is comfortable working with top government officials and leaders.

Professional Groups

Mullen is a Fellow of The Explorers Club. He has carried five Explorers Club expedition flags on major ocean trips. These trips went to places like Malta, Ventotene, Syracuse Sicily, Hvar Croatia, and the Florida Keys.

He is also on the Board of Directors for the Marine Resources Development Foundation.