Robert F. Marx facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robert F. Marx
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Bob Marx (left) with Israeli marine archaeologist Elisha Linder
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| Born | December 8, 1936 |
| Died | 4 July 2019 (aged 82) |
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | Excavation of Port Royal,
Alleged discovery of USS Monitor, Discovery of Nuestra Señora de las Maravillas |
| Awards | Order of Isabella the Catholic |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Underwater archaeology
Maritime history Naval history |
Sir Robert F. Marx (December 8, 1936 – July 4, 2019) was an American pioneer in scuba diving and a well-known author. He was most famous for his work in marine archaeology, which is the study of old things found underwater. During his career, he discovered more than 5,000 shipwrecks in over 60 countries! Many people, including fellow archaeologist E. Lee Spence, called him the "true father of underwater archaeology." He also helped create rules for UNESCO about protecting shipwrecks.
Contents
Early Life and Adventures
Robert Marx was born on December 8, 1936, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As a boy, he loved history and exploring. He spent a lot of time in libraries reading books and magazines like National Geographic.
When he was 8, Marx started experimenting with homemade diving gear. He even tried using a modified World War II gas mask, which was very dangerous! He later used swim goggles to find lost fishing gear in nearby lakes.
At 13, Marx ran away to Atlantic City, New Jersey, where he saw the ocean for the first time. He met a helmet diver who taught him how to clean the bottom of boats. Later, he helped another diver recover crashed helicopters.
Marx then moved to Hollywood, California. There, he helped start the Neptunes, which was the second freediving club in the United States. He would spear fish for food and money. In California, he found his first shipwreck, the SS Winfield Scott, and found some gold coins from it.
Joining the Marines and Discoveries
Marine Corps Diving
In 1953, at age 17, Marx joined the United States Marine Corps. He served in Korea and became a diving specialist. Because he was so good, he later became the Director of the USMC Diving School in Vieques, Puerto Rico.
During his last year in the Marines, Marx went on two trips in the Mediterranean Sea. He helped find and study ancient Roman, Greek, and Phoenician ships. He once got left behind in Spain after a dive, but he used the time to learn even more about history and archaeology from local experts.
Amazing Discoveries
Robert Marx made over 5,000 dives in his life. He wrote more than 800 reports and articles, plus 59 books about history, archaeology, shipwrecks, and exploration. He was a founding member of the Council on Underwater Archaeology and the Sea Research Society.
Marx said he discovered the famous American Civil War ship, the USS Monitor. In 1972, he found and salvaged the Spanish galleon Nuestra Señora de las Maravillas. This ship had sunk off the coast of Grand Bahama in 1656. His expedition was even featured in a TV show called Treasure Galleon.
Recreating Famous Voyages
In 1962, Marx organized and led an amazing journey. He recreated Christopher Columbus's voyage from the Canary Islands to San Salvador Island. He used an exact copy of Columbus's ship, La Niña, which he called the Niña II. After three months, they arrived in the Bahamas on Christmas Eve.
Marx said this trip was probably the closest modern sailors could get to understanding what it was like to cross an ocean 500 years ago. Because of this incredible effort, the Spanish government made him a Knight-commander in the Order of Isabella the Catholic. He also organized and captained two voyages in 1964 and 1969 using replica Viking ships. He wanted to show that Vikings might have traveled from Europe to the Americas before Columbus.
His Writings and Media Work
Robert Marx wrote 59 books and over 900 articles. He was also the Adventure Editor for Saturday Evening Post and the Archaeology Editor for Argosy magazine. He worked as a consultant for TV and movies. He appeared in the documentary series History's Mysteries and produced 55 TV documentaries.
Marx was also a member of the Explorer's Club. He worked with governments around the world to gain access to shipwrecks and helped write UNESCO laws about protecting them.
Personal Life
Marx met his wife, Jenifer, while working on an excavation in Port Royal in the 1960s. They lived in Indialantic, Florida, and had three daughters. Together, they wrote over 30 non-fiction books.
Death
Robert F. Marx passed away on July 4, 2019, at the age of 82.
See also
- Niña II
Images for kids
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Bob Marx (left) with Israeli marine archaeologist Elisha Linder
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The SS Winfield Scott, the first ship Marx discovered.
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Marx claimed to have discovered the USS Monitor.
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Marx recreated Columbus's voyage on a replica of the Niña.
