John Halver

He served as a US Army Ranger, European Theatre during WWII; Platoon Leader to Captain, 100th Division, 399 Infantry, Fox Company. Citations received: Croix d’Valeur (France), Purple Heart, Presidential Unit Citation, American Theatre Service Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Service Medal with two Bronze Stars, World War II Victory Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, Army of Occupation (Germany), and the Citoyen d’Honneur (France). He served in three campaigns: Southern France, The Rhineland, and Southern Germany.

In 2005, Halver was named as one of the “Leading Scientists of the World” by the International Biographical Centre of Cambridge, England., because of his work for the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, the United Nations Development Program, the World Bank, the United States Agency for International Development, and the International Executive Service Corps, which led to improved food supply for populations in developing countries.

In addition to research, Halver taught at the University of Washington. Some of his students have become directors of federal fisheries programs, feed manufacturing plants, and university aquaculture programs. He was named Senior Scientist in Nutrition in 1975 and was US Science Ambassador 1975-1992.

Halver discovered the cause of trout hepatomas (liver cancer) in the early 1960s, and developed methods of avoiding them. He was voted into the National Academy of Sciences in 1978 on the basis of that work.

Halver received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry and a master’s in organic chemistry from Washington State University, completing his thesis, *Enzymatic Resolution of Amino Acid Phenyl Hydrazides” in 1948. His Ph.D. is in medical biochemistry, and was awarded by the University of Washington Medical School based on his thesis, *A vitamin test diet for chinook salmon: the water-soluble vitamin requirement of chinook salmon” in 1953.

John Emil Halver (April 21, 1922 – October 24, 2012) was an American biochemist known for his research into the nutritional biochemistry, physiology, and cellular biochemistry of fish. His work on the nutritional needs of fish led to modern methods of fish farming and fish feed production around the world. He held a position with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service as director of the Western Fish Nutrition Laboratory in Cook, Washington, where Halver and his staff carried out research on the nutrient requirements for Pacific salmon.