The life story of Jacques-Yves the famous oceanographer.

was born in Saint Andre de Dubzac, France, to Daniel and Elizabeth Cousteau on June 11, 1910. Cousteau always loved the water and in his early teens, he became interested in machines. At the age of 11, Cousteau built a model crane and at 13, he built a battery-operated car. Also in his early teens, Cousteau became fascinated with films. He saved his money and bought a home movie camera. In high school, Cousteau became bored with school and …

…life. The membership of this non-profit group has grown to include more than 300,000 members. Cousteau was awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Reagan in 1985 and in 1989 he was honored by France with membership in the French Academy. On January 11, 1996 the Calypso (his beloved boat) sank in Singapore harbor. In his last years, Cousteau was involved in a legal battle with his son, Jean-Michael over the use of the Cousteau name. Cousteau died on June 25, 1997.