ANDERSON, William Charles 1920-2003

OBITUARY NOTICE—See index for CA sketch: Born May 7, 1920, in La Junta, CA; died of a heart ailment May 16, 2003, in Fairfield, CA. Military officer and author. Anderson was a highly decorated Air Force lieutenant colonel who turned to writing popular novels after retiring from military service. After attending Boise Junior College, Fort Hays College, and the University of Maryland, Anderson enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and saw action during World War II. He also served in the Korean War and was awarded several decorations, including the Distinguished Flying Cross, three Air Medals, and a Presidential citation. Retiring from the Air Force in 1964, he became a full-time writer, penning works that ranged from humorous tales based on his family life and quirky science-fiction yarns to more serious stories about war and murder that were often based on true incidents. Among these works are Pandemonium on the Potomac (1966), The Two-Ton Albatross; or, Across a Trans-Continental Highway in a Travel Trailer with Two Kids, Two Guppies, a Miniature Orange Tree, a Lobster Named Hud, a Saint Bernard Dog, and a Claustrophobic Wife (1969), Penelope, the Damp Detective (1974), Bat*21* (1980), and Lady Bluebeard: The True Story of Love and Marriage, Death and Flypaper (1996) Several of his books were adapted for film.

OBITUARIES AND OTHER SOURCES:

BOOKS

Clute, John, and Peter Nicholls, editors, The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 1993.

PERIODICALS

Los Angeles Times, May 29, 2003, p. B14.

Washington Post, May 23, 2003, p. B8.