Forrester was commissioned as 2d Lieutenant, Infantry. He attended the General Ground School and Officer Basic training before being assigned in 1949 to the 350th Infantry in Vienna, Austria as part of the U.S. occupation forces. He served two years as a platoon leader and company commander before selection as aide to MG Paul Kendall, commander of U.S. forces in the American Zone. In April 1951, Forrester returned to Ft. Monroe, Virginia with Kendall who was assigned as Chief of Infantry Inspections. A year later, still an aide, Forrester accompanied now LTG Kendall to Korea to command I Corps. In October 1952, Forrester was released to command a company in 2d Battalion, 9th Infantry, 2d Infantry Division. During the Vietnam War, Forrester served two combat tours, commanding the 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division in 1968 and as assistant division commander for the 1st Cavalry Division in 1970. The following year he served on the Civil Operations and Rural Development Support for the Headquarters of the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam. In October 1970 Forrester was awarded the Silver Star for his actions on 9 June 1970 during the Cambodian Campaign. The medal citation stated that Forrester was flying in his command helicopter when he directed ground troops in an engagement and came under enemy fire. The helicopter then delivered ammunition to the troops and evacuated wounded. However, enlisted men in the 1st Cavalry Division's awards and decorations office revealed that they had been ordered to fabricate the action so that Forrester could be awarded the medal before he left the division. Following an investigation the award was rescinded and the division chief of staff who instigated the award was reprimanded. Forrester oversaw the amnesty program for Vietnam era deserters and draft evaders. Major commands for Forrester included the United States Army Administration Center at Fort Harrison, Indiana, from 1973 to 1975. He commanded the United States Army Recruiting Command at Fort Sheridan, Illinois, from 1975 to 1978. Prior to his Hawaiian command he commanded the Sixth United States Army at the Presidio, and then the Combined Field Army in Korea. Among Forrester's decorations are the Army Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit with trhee oak leaf clusters, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Bronze Star Medal with two oak leaf clusters. Forrester died in Washington, D.C. in 2012.
