William Bertalan Walsh (April 26, 1920 – December 27, 1996) was the founder of Project HOPE (USA).

He envisioned a floating, non-military medical center that would bring health education and improved care to people around the world and established Project HOPE.

On September 22, 1960, Hope set sail from San Francisco bound for Indonesia.

The S.S. HOPE eventually completed 11 voyages traveling to Indonesia, Vietnam, Peru, Ecuador, Guinea, Nicaragua, Colombia, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), Tunisia, Jamaica, and Brazil.

[2] On June 23, 1987, Walsh was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Ronald Reagan.