Bob was born in Springfield, Missouri. As a small boy, the family moved to a farm near Pleasant Hope. There he lived with his parents and grandfather, Charles. His mother suffered with asthma and in about 1932 the family sold the farm and moved to Huntington Park, CA. Later they moved to Bell, CA. In high school, Bob was interested in photography and was a member of the high school photography club. He got a job working for a few local theaters taking photographs promoting upcoming films. He would visit the movie studios and take pictures to be used in their displays. For this he received some cash and free passes.

He married Irene Riley on 3 Jul 1941 in Maywood. He had completed one year at USC and Irene one year at UCLA. He got a job at a machine shop where his uncle, Arthur Malchow, was a foreman. The shop made aircraft cable clamps, so he was exempt from the draft when the war broke out.

In about 1943, he joined the Army as a photographer. While still living at home, he attended classes at movie studios near Burbank. There were 50 recruits in his class, and he and a high school friend from the photography club, finished top of the class and were promoted to sergeant. He then was sent to Signal Corps boot camp in Missouri and was assigned to a unit in South Carolina.

After several months there, he volunteered to join the Air Corps. Irene's brother, Robert Riley, was a B-24 pilot in the South Pacific and had told him to get into the Air Corps.

Since he didn't have a degree, he was sent to Iowa State Teachers College for a nine month stay. After three months, because he had some college, he was sent early to fill a pilot training slot.

He graduated from pilot training and was assigned to be a B-17 copilot at Las Vegas to support the aerial gunnery school. After about six months he was able to transfer to Victorville, CA, and fly the B-24 supporting the radar navigator school. After a few months, the war ended and he joined the reserves where he served for about another year.

He then worked for his father in Clingman Hardware, 4509 E. Gage Ave, Bell. His father died in 1948. His home was then at 6329 King Avenue in Bell. He later sold the store in about 1974. He was an active member of the Bell Masonic Lodge and served on the City of Bell Planning Commission for several years.

Retired, he moved to Brea, CA, and for the next six years, traveled around the country in a motor home. They then moved to Placentia, CA and he worked in a nearby Ace Hardware until retirement.