This volume is dedicated to the late William V. Sliter, who for many years spearheaded the effort to drill Shatsky Rise. Bill combined his wealth of knowledge on Cretaceous oceanic anoxic events, planktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy and paleoecology, the geology of the Pacific, and the stratigraphy of Shatsky Rise in a drilling proposal that was highly ranked for many years, but not drilled due to concerns over recovery in chert-chalk sections. In the year before he passed away, Bill was heavily involved in the revision of the drilling proposal that ultimately led to scheduling of the Shatsky Rise leg. His knowledge of the stratigraphy of the rise was crucial in the selection of the sites that we drilled. We deeply regret that Bill was not with us on Leg 198 to continue to share his experience, to enliven the scientific party with his stories, humor, and trademark pranks, and to share with us the many successes and surprises of the Shatsky Rise drilling expedition.