Anderson, William C., 1920-2003

An author of humorous books.

William Charles Anderson was born on May 7, 1920, in La Junta, Colorado. He married Wilma Y. Duncan on August 17, 1941. They had one daughter. On July 10, 1948, he married Dorotha Marie Power. They have two children. Anderson attended Boise Junior College, 1939-1940; Fort Hays College (now Fort Hays Kansas State College), 1941; and the University of Maryland, 1944. Anderson joined the United States Air Force in 1941 and retired as a lieutenant colonel in 1964. He has been a full-time writer since 1964. Anderson holds the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with two clusters, Commendation Medal, Presidential Citation, Berlin Airlift ribbon, European Theater ribbon with five battle stars, and Humanitarian Medal. Anderson has authored screenplays including "Hurricane" for ABC-TV. His books have been transformed to braille and tapes for the blind. Anderson died on May 16, 2003.

William C. Anderson, author and Air Force officer, was born May 7, 1920, in La Junta Colorado. Shortly after his birth, his father Robert and mother Fannie Anderson moved to Boise, Idaho. William, also known as Andy, grew up in Boise. He graduated from Boise High School in 1938. After high school William attended Boise Junior College and Fort Hays College in Kansas. He put his education on hold and joined the Army Air Corps shortly after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor.

Anderson chose a career as an Air Force Officer. He flew in the Berlin Airlift, piloted air-evacuation aircraft during the Korean War, and commanded a weather reconnaissance squadron during the Eniwetok H-bomb tests. He also wrote while in the Air Force, editing Air Force publications and beginning work on his first books. He ended his military career involved in the Cuban Missile Crisis and working in the Pentagon. He retired from the Air Force in 1964 and eventually moved back to his hometown of Boise.

Love for writing kept him busy in his retirement. His 20 books were influenced by his experience in the military and his natural wit and humor. Anderson "hit it big" with his book Bat-21, the true story of the rescue of a downed American Air Force officer in Vietnam. In 1988 he wrote the screenplay for the movie version, starring Danny Glover and Gene Hackman. This movie was a huge success and the highlight of Anderson's career. Anderson also wrote a monthly column for Motor Home magazine. This was a humorous column about Anderson's journeys with his wife on the road.

Anderson married Dortha Power in 1948. William and Dortha were the parents of three children: Ann, Scott, and Holly.

Anderson died of natural causes at the age of 83 in Fairfield, California, on May 16, 2003.

Sources:

Biographical information found within the collection

Obituary, Idaho Statesman, May 21, 2003