Bernie Campoli 1935-2025

Bernie Campoli 1935-2025

Bernie Campoli, was the last remaining crew member of SEALAB I. Today we honor the passing of a legend in the diving world.

Bernie's images of military diving have appeared in theU.S. Navy Dive Manual, All Hands Magazine, Naval Institute Proceedings, and the 2008 historical compendium Naval Forces Under the Sea, Volumes 1 and 2. Bernie retired from the Federal Government in March 2000.

Bernie was a Life Time Member of the National UDT-SEAL Museum and the UDT-SEAL Association, an associate member of the Boston Sea Rovers and maintains NAUI instructor number 1900.

SEALAB I was both a habitability study and an experiment in developing safe decompression procedures for saturation diving. It had a crew of four aquanauts. They began their submerged sojourn on July 20th 1964, which was intended to last three weeks. The team investigated the effects of nitrogen narcosis on cognition, tried out the characteristics of the new “Neoprene” foam wet suit and performed many other performed physical and biological experiments. These included using ultrasonic beacons, current meters, and an anti-shark cage, as well as attempting to grow plants in the helium atmosphere. Bernie Campoli, Navy Photographer/Diver in 1964 outside SEALAB I. The photo taken by Aquanaut BobBarth was on the cover of Post magazine. 

Man in Sea Museum SEALAB I Reunion / July 2023 

Bernie Campoli prepares his 35mm motion picture housing prior to dive to document the U.S.Navy’s first at sea saturation dive.

Filming the lowering of Sealab I with PTC in background.

1964 Bermuda crew and divers for Sealab I. Note then 25-year-old photographer Bernie Campoli (front row, second from left with camera strap).