Bob Simon
A detailed biography of Bob Simon (1941–2015), the award-winning CBS News correspondent and 60 Minutes reporter, tracing his early life, major reporting assignments, imprisonment in Iraq, journalistic style, influence, famous works, and his profound legacy.
Introduction
Robert David “Bob” Simon (May 29, 1941 – February 11, 2015) was one of the most widely respected and intrepid television journalists of his era. Over a career spanning nearly five decades, he reported from war zones, crises, and human dramas across more than 60 countries. He became one of 60 Minutes’ top correspondents and accumulated an impressive tally of awards.
Simon was admired for his courage, narrative sensitivity, and ability to convey complex international stories to American audiences. His life story is also marked by a harrowing episode of captivity in Iraq, which he later chronicled in his book Forty Days.
In this article, we explore Bob Simon’s origins, his rise through the ranks of broadcast journalism, his style and philosophy, his most important reports, and the lasting lessons his life offers.
Early Life and Education
Bob Simon was born on May 29, 1941, in The Bronx, New York City, into a Jewish family.
He attended Brandeis University, graduating in 1962 Phi Beta Kappa with a degree in history.
After graduation, Simon served in the U.S. Foreign Service from 1964 to 1967, and was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship in France and a Woodrow Wilson Scholarship, strengthening his international credentials.
This combination of historical training and diplomatic experience laid a foundation for his later career as an international correspondent — giving him both intellectual depth and a familiarity with geopolitical settings.
Journalistic Career & Major Assignments
Early Years at CBS
Simon joined CBS News in 1969, initially working in the London bureau.
His war coverage included reporting on major operations in Vietnam, and he was aboard one of the last helicopters out of Saigon in 1975 as the U.S. withdrew.
From 1977 to 1981, Simon was stationed in Tel Aviv as the CBS Middle East correspondent.
By the early 1980s he also served as a State Department correspondent in Washington, D.C., and then as a national correspondent for CBS based in New York.
Throughout these years, he reported from many hotspots around the world: Northern Ireland, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa.
Gulf War & Captivity
One of the most dramatic episodes of Simon’s life occurred during the Gulf War in 1991. Along with four members of his CBS news crew, Simon was captured by Iraqi forces near the Saudi–Kuwait border at the war’s outset. They were imprisoned for fourty days — much of it in isolation — before being freed.
Simon later reflected that their being captured stemmed from a “careless mistake” in entering a contested area.
He recounted this ordeal in his memoir, Forty Days (published in 1992).
Less than two months after their release, Simon returned to Iraq, producing a documentary Back to Baghdad to cover the postwar conditions.
60 Minutes and Later Work
In 1996, Simon became a regular correspondent for 60 Minutes, joining the ranks of illustrious television investigative journalists. 60 Minutes II starting in 1999.
His stories spanned war, human rights, culture, disaster, and artistic resilience. Noteworthy reports included coverage of a symphony orchestra in Central Africa (for which he won a Peabody and Emmy), and another in Paraguay where musicians crafted instruments from scrap.
Simon spent his final years continuing to report until his tragic death in 2015, maintaining his role as 60 Minutes’ senior foreign correspondent.
Awards, Recognition & Impact
Over his career, Bob Simon earned more than 40 major awards, including 27 Emmy Awards — which is believed to be the most ever earned by a field reporter.
He also won multiple Peabody Awards and Overseas Press Club awards (including several for lifetime or body-of-work contributions).
CBS News President David Rhodes described him as “a giant of broadcast journalism.”
His reputation for combining deep reporting, cross-cultural sensitivity, personal courage, and narrative clarity made him a model for generations of journalists.
Style, Philosophy & Journalism Approach
A few defining elements of Simon’s style and philosophy:
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Narrative empathy: He sought human stories within geopolitical contexts, often placing individuals at the center rather than abstract events.
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Courage under pressure: He willingly accepted dangerous assignments, believing that it was necessary for audiences to see the human cost of conflict and crisis.
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Scholarly grounding: His historical and diplomatic training informed his ability to explain background, context, and nuance rather than just breaking headlines.
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Humility in storytelling: Even after decades of coverage, Simon remained aware of the limits of what journalism can achieve.
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Commitment to return: After his capture, his return to Iraq to continue coverage illustrated his dedication to seeing stories through—even when they required revisiting trauma.
These qualities allowed his reporting to resonate not only as news but as narrative and moral inquiry.
Notable Works & Quotations
Book
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Forty Days — Simon’s memoir of his 40-day captivity by Iraqi forces during the Gulf War.
Memorable Quotations
Some of Simon’s remarks (from interviews or speeches) reflect his philosophy of journalism:
“At first we didn’t realize how serious our situation was.” — on being captured in Iraq
Although detailed compilations of his quotes are not as widely published as for some public figures, his work and interviews are full of reflection on conflict, truth, and the role of the correspondent.
Death & Final Years
On February 11, 2015, Bob Simon was critically injured in a car crash in Manhattan, New York. He was riding in a livery cab that rear-ended another vehicle and then struck a barrier on the West Side Highway.
He was transported to St. Luke’s–Roosevelt Hospital, where he died shortly thereafter at the age of 73.
The driver of the cab survived with injuries. There was public scrutiny about the driver’s record: the license had been suspended multiple times in prior years.
His death was widely mourned, with colleagues and media outlets recognizing the loss of a guiding voice in global journalism.
Legacy & Lessons
Bob Simon’s life leaves several enduring lessons:
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Journalism as moral witness
He showed that reporting is not just about delivering facts, but about bearing witness to human suffering, resilience, and complexity. -
Courage matters
In many zones where others hesitated, Simon went, bringing stories otherwise unseen to global audiences. -
Context and depth
His historical and diplomatic grounding reminds us that to understand a moment, one must understand the layers beneath it—politics, culture, memory. -
The journalist’s humility
He embodied awareness of what journalism can and cannot do. Telling a story is not the same as solving the problem—but it remains vital. -
Commitment beyond trauma
He did not retreat after danger; instead, he returned to conflict zones to continue coverage. That consistency amplified his credibility and impact.
Bob Simon continues to be a standard by which foreign correspondents are judged. For those aspiring to journalism, his career shows both the rewards and the risks — and the necessity of combining principle, curiosity, and resilience.