An Anchor in the Prairie

"As a kid I guess I was too dumb or naïve to realize I was poor." So writes Bill Forbes about his growing up years in a small town in Midwest America in the 1940s and '50s. From humble beginnings he began a journey that would take him through three careers and into retirement. Following four years on active duty in the U.S. Navy and then two years selling encyclopedias door-to-door, Bill reenlisted for another four year tour in the Navy; much of it in a war zone. After an honorable discharge he began a 20 year broadcast journalism career; during which he interviewed four U.S Presidents. In 1988 he left the broadcast world for a civil service career in Washington, D.C., again with the U.S. Navy. After traveling the world with the Navy job and upon retirement in Southern California, Bill continued to travel, this time for leisure. he has the bragging rights of setting foot on every continent on the planet. Yes, even Antarctica. As he looks back on more than six decades Bill Forbes still feels the influence of the U.S. Navy He says, "I'm just a Fleet Sailor at heart."

"As a kid I guess I was too dumb or naïve to realize I was poor." So writes Bill Forbes about his growing up years in a small town in Midwest America in the 1940s and '50s. From humble beginnings he began a journey that would take him through three careers and into retirement. Bill's early years will bring back fond memories to many. Others will enjoy the tale of a simpler time and wish they could have that experience. This small town boy from the prairie of Illinois would witness the wonders of the Pacific Ocean and lands beyond as he served eight years on active duty in the U.S. Navy; part of it in a war zone. He would sell encyclopedias door-to-door, interview four U.S. Presidents during a 20 year broadcast journalism career and end his working years as a civil service employee for the Navy in the nation's capitol city. After traveling the world for 16 years in his Navy civil service job and upon retiring to Southern California, Bill continued to travel, this time for leisure. He has the bragging rights of setting foot on every continent on the planet. Yes, even Antarctica. He's the guy who burned a hole in Bill Clinton's brand new office carpet. He walked beneath the Arkansas River, flew more than 1200 hours in a news helicopter and survived the bureaucracy that is Washington, D.C. As he looks back on more than six decades, Bill Forbes still feels the influence of the U.S. Navy. He says, "I'm just a Fleet Sailor at heart."

Bill Forbes is retired and lives in Southern California. For 16 years prior to his December 2004 retirement, he was a writer, producer and narrator of videos for the U.S. Navy. Born on May 24, 1939 in LaSalle, Illinois, Bill grew up in nearby Utica, Illinois and attended Utica Public Grade School and LaSalle-Peru Township High School before joining the U.S. Navy in 1957. He served as a Radarman on board USS Everett F. Larson (DDR 830), a Navy Destroyer in the Pacific Fleet. Following this enlistment he was a door-to-door encyclopedia salesman in Long Beach, California. After two years knocking on doors, he re-enlisted for four more years in the Navy, serving those years as a Radarman on USS Montrose (APA 212), a Troop Transport, also in the Pacific Fleet. Following the second hitch in the Navy, Bill began a 20 year broadcast journalism career; working at radio stations in Astoria, Oregon, Minot, North Dakota, and Canton, Ohio. He left radio for a TV job in 1973. After five years at his first TV station in Akron, Ohio and then 10 years at a Little Rock, Arkansas TV station, he left the commercial broadcasting world in 1988 to begin his 16 year career as a civil servant in Washington, D.C. During his broadcast years, Bill attended college part-time, first at Minot State College, in Minot, North Dakota, and then the University of Akron in Akron, Ohio. He completed three years of study toward a Bachelor degree in Political Science.