John J. Forbes

Forbes joined the U.S. Bureau of Mines in February 1915 as a first aid miner. He then worked as a foreman miner, junior mining engineer, mining engineer, senior mining engineer and principal mining engineer. In July 1927, Forbes was appointed supervising engineer and was assigned to the safety division in Pittsburgh.[4] He continued working in the safety division until September 1941 when he was appointed chief mine inspector of the bureau. This role was to supervise activities under the Federal Coal Mine Inspection and Investigations Act authorized on May 7, 1941, and required a transfer to the new Mineral Production Security Division in Washington, D.C.[4][5]^: 101 During two work stoppages in 1943 and 1945, Forbes was appointed Anthracite Regional Manager in the Coal Region of Northeastern Pennsylvania for the Solid Fuels Administration.[4]

The Mineral Production Security Division dissolved in 1945 and Forbes was promoted to assistant chief of the Health and Safety Branch. and resumed his previous role as supervisor of the Coal Mine Inspection Division.[4] Forbes was appointed as director of the U.S. Bureau of Mines by President Harry S. Truman, succeeding James Boyd on November 15, 1951, during a congressional recess.[3][6][7] He would not be confirmed by the U.S. Senate until February 20, 1952.[8] In 1954, Forbes decreased the number of regional directorates to five in the bureau.[5]^: 204 Forbes retired from his role on November 30, 1955. His retirement was mandatory as he reached the age limit of 70 years of age for a federal appointee.[2]

Forbes served as director of the National First Aid and Mine Rescue Contest in Columbus, Ohio, in October 1951. He also served as president of the Washington chapter of the American Society of Safety Engineers in 1950.[4]