Michael DiMercurio was an honors graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, a National Science Foundation scholar and graduate of MIT in mechanical engineering, a graduate of the Navy Nuclear Training Program, a Navy diver, and a chief nuclear engineer qualified officer and ship's diver on the USS Hammerhead, a Sturgeon-class fast attack nuclear submarine of the Atlantic Fleet.

During the Reagan administration, DiMercurio and the Hammerhead spent over 50 days in trail of Russian nuclear submarines. DiMercurio is the author of 10 bestselling books including Vertical Dive and Emergency Deep.