Reminiscences of Vice Adm. Bernard B. Forbes Jr., USN (Ret.)

Bernard "Beetle" Forbes was a skilled naval aviator and gifted storyteller. Following his graduation from the Naval Academy, he served in the destroyer USS Barton (DD-722), 1944-47, including combat duty in the Pacific. He was briefly commanding officer of the patrol craft USS PC-572 before going through flight training, 1947-49. His first fleet assignment as an aviator was in Composite Squadron 33 (VC-33). He served twice as flag lieutenant to Admiral Felix B. Stump, initially when Stump was ComNavAirLant and Commander Second Fleet, later when Stump was CinCPacFlt/CinCPac. Sandwiched between was Forbes' duty as flight instructor, 1953-55. Subsequent tours included Attack Squadron 15 (VA-15), postgraduate education at Stanford University, and the senior course at the Naval War College. In the early 1960s Forbes commanded Attack Squadron 176 (VA-176), served as air officer of the attack aircraft carrier USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA-42), and was in the manpower section, OP-103, on the OpNav staff. During his time flying AD Skyraiders in attack squadrons, he trained for possible delivery of nuclear weapons. He commanded the ammunition ship USS Shasta (AE-6) during a 1966-67 Vietnam deployment. From 1967 to 1969 he was a detailer in the Bureau of Naval Personnel, and then commanded the attack aircraft carrier USS Independence (CVA-62), which deployed to the Mediterranean. Duties in the early 1970s were as chief of staff to Commander Sixth Fleet, head detailer in the Bureau of Naval Personnel, and command of Carrier Group Six and Carrier Group Two. His final active duty was as Deputy Commander in Chief Atlantic/Deputy Commander in Chief Atlantic Fleet. The oral history contains a number of personal insights on Admiral Isaac C. Kidd Jr., for whom Forbes served in both Sixth Fleet and the Atlantic Fleet.

Paul Stillwell is an independent historian and retired naval officer. He worked for thirty years at the U.S. Naval Institute as an oral historian and editor of Naval History magazine. He is the author or editor of fourteen books, including four on battleships and an award-winning volume on the Navy’s first African American officers, The Golden Thirteen. His 2021 book Battleship Commander: The Life of Vice Admiral Willis A. Lee Jr. also received acclaim. He lives in Arnold, Maryland.