Edward Beach was graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1939. He saw duty aboard three submarines during World War II, and from 1953 to 1957 he served as Naval Aide to President Eisenhower. In 1960 he commanded the nuclear-powered USS Triton in her underwater circumnavigation of the earth, and from this voyage came his book Around the World Submerged. Prior to that he wrote two books, Submarine! and the novel Run Silent, Run Deep, the latter a best-seller and major book-club selection that was made into a popular motion picture. He retired from active service in the Navy in 1966 and is currently employed by the United States Senate.