Peter Hunt was born in New York and spent six years of his childhood living overseas in Athens. A renegade from first memory, he started scuba diving in Greece before taking the “required” diving certification class. After moving back to New York in 1979, he became a certified diver and found part-time work crewing on wreck diving boats. In 1983 and 1984, Hunt participated as a deckhand/diver on five Andrea Doria expeditions – known as the Mount Everest of wreck diving – on the Research Vessel Wahoo.
After graduating with a history degree from Brown University in 1985, Hunt joined the U.S. Navy and trained as an A-6 Intruder attack pilot. During ten years of active duty service, Hunt completed three aircraft carrier deployments to the Persian Gulf, Indian Ocean, and Western Pacific, completing 450 carrier arrested landings (traps), with 200 of them at night. Hunt flew 45 Desert Storm combat missions and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and three Air Medals, all authorized to display the combat “V” for valor.
After leaving the Navy, Hunt flew for United Airlines as a Boeing 737/757/767 pilot until diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at age 43. Peter Hunt holds a master’s degree from the University of Washington, is the father of two adult children, has two grandchildren, and lives with his wife on Whidbey Island, Washington. He enjoys boating, swimming, visiting with old friends, and hiking in the Pacific Northwest’s natural beauty.
