Frederick C. Bock: Difference between revisions

Doctor

Frederick C. Bock
Doctor; Frederick C. Bock
Birth name	Frederick Carl Bock Jr.
Born	18 January 1918; Greenville, Michigan
Died	25 August 2000 (aged 82); Scottsdale, Arizona
Allegiance	United States of America
Service / branch	Army Air Force
Rank	Major
Unit	509th Composite Group
Battles / wars	Second World War
Awards	Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal
Spouse(s)	Helen Lossman Bock
Other work	Research Scientist

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Frederick Carl Bock Jr (18 January 1918 – 25 August 2000) was an American bomber pilot during World War II who took part in the atomic bombing of Nagasaki in 1945.

Bock attended the University of Chicago and went on to enroll in a graduate course in philosophy.^[1]

World War II

Upon the entry of the United States into the World War II, Bock enlisted in the Army Air Force, becoming a pilot.^[1] Bock flew missions from India to China over the Himalayas, a route known as the Hump. He also participated in air raids on Japan flown from China.^[1]

Nagasaki atomic bomb raid

On the Nagasaki Raid, Bock flew the B-29 bomber The Great Artiste, which was used for scientific measurements and photography of the effects caused by the nuclear weapon.^[1]

The bomber which actually dropped Fat Man was called Bockscar,^[2] an aircraft named for and usually flown by Bock. The staff was swapped just before the raid, and Major Charles Sweeney piloted Bockscar, which flew with The Great Artiste and another aircraft.

William L. Laurence, a science writer with the New York Times, was a civilian observer aboard The Great Artiste. His account of the mission was awarded the 1946 Pulitzer Prize.^[1] In his book, Dawn Over Zero (Knopf 1946), Laurence describes the scene aboard the B-29:^[1]

I watched Capt. Frederick C. Bock, the pilot of our ship, go through the intricate motions of lifting a B-29 off the ground and marveled at the quiet efficiency of this Michigan boy who had majored in philosophy at Chicago University... I talked to him on the ground and I was amazed at the transformation that had taken place. Man and machine had become one, a modern centaur.
— William L. Laurence, Dawn Over Zero (1946)

Bock rose to the rank of major and received the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal.^[1]

Post-war career

After the war, Bock returned to Chicago, where he earned his PhD in zoology, with a specialisation in mathematical statistics and genetics.^[1] Working in Chicago-based research laboratories, Dr. Bock created algorithms for solving complex problems.^[1] At Baxter Travenol Laboratories, he devised a mathematical model for peritoneal dialysis.^[1] Dr. Bock retired from Baxter Travenol in 1986.

A native of Greenville, Michigan, Bock died at his Arizona home in 2000 of cancer.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k Saxon, Wolfgang (29 August 2000). "F. C. Bock, 82, Monitor of Nagasaki Bombing". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
^ USAF Museum – Bockscar Story Archived 2007-11-17 at the Wayback Machine Fact Sheet

This article about a notable individual during World War II is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

This biographical article related to World War II United States Army personnel is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[NYT-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k Saxon, Wolfgang (29 August 2000). "F. C. Bock, 82, Monitor of Nagasaki Bombing". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 April 2018.

[2] USAF Museum – Bockscar Story Archived 2007-11-17 at the Wayback Machine Fact Sheet

[1]

[2]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|US Army Air Forces officer}}
+{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}{{Use American English|date=December 2024}}
 {{Infobox military person
 | honorific_prefix = Doctor
-| name          = Frederick Carl Bock
+| name          = Frederick C. Bock
-| birth_date    = {{Birth date|1918|1|18}}
+| birth_name    = Frederick Carl Bock Jr.
+| birth_date    = {{Birth date|1918|1|18|df=y}}
 | birth_place   = [[Greenville, Michigan]]
-| death_date    = {{Death date and age|2000|8|25|1918|1|18}}
+| death_date    = {{Death date and age|2000|8|25|1918|1|18|df=y}}
 | death_place   = [[Scottsdale, Arizona]]
 | allegiance    = United States of America
@@ Line 16: / Line 19: @@
 }}
 [[File:Atomic cloud over Nagasaki from Koyagi-jima.jpeg|thumb|288x288px|Cloud over Nagasaki following the atomic blast]]
-'''Frederick Carl Bock''' (January 18, 1918&nbsp;– August 25, 2000) was a [[World War II]] pilot who took part in the atomic bombing of [[Nagasaki, Nagasaki|Nagasaki]] in 1945.
+'''Frederick Carl Bock Jr''' (18 January 1918 &ndash; 25 August 2000) was an American bomber pilot during [[World War II]] who took part in the atomic bombing of [[Nagasaki, Nagasaki|Nagasaki]] in 1945.
-Bock attended the [[University of Chicago]] and went on to enroll in a graduate course in [[philosophy]].<ref name=":0" />
+Bock attended the [[University of Chicago]] and went on to enroll in a graduate course in [[philosophy]].<ref name="NYT" />
+==World War II==
-Upon the entry of the United States into the [[World War II|Second World War]] Bock enlisted in the [[United States Army Air Forces|Army Air Force]], becoming a pilot.<ref name=":0" />
+Upon the entry of the United States into the World War II, Bock enlisted in the [[United States Army Air Forces|Army Air Force]], becoming a pilot.<ref name="NYT" /> Bock flew missions from [[India]] to [[China]] over the [[Himalayas]], a route known as [[the Hump]]. He also participated in air raids on [[Japan]] flown from China.<ref name="NYT" />
+=== Nagasaki atomic bomb raid ===
-Bock flew missions from [[India]] to [[China]] over the [[Himalayas]], a route known as [[the hump]]. He also participated in air raids on [[Japan]] flown from China.<ref name=":0" />
-== Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Raid ==
 {{See also|Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki}}
-On the Nagasaki Raid, Bock flew the [[B-29 Superfortress|B-29]] bomber, ''[[The Great Artiste]]'', which was used for scientific measurements and [[photography]] of the effects caused by the nuclear weapon.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/08/29/us/f-c-bock-82-monitor-of-nagasaki-bombing.html|title=F. C. Bock, 82, Monitor of Nagasaki Bombing|last=Saxon|first=Wolfgang|date=2000-08-29|work=The New York Times|access-date=2018-04-28|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
+On the Nagasaki Raid, Bock flew the [[B-29 Superfortress|B-29]] bomber ''[[The Great Artiste]]'', which was used for scientific measurements and [[photography]] of the effects caused by the nuclear weapon.<ref name="NYT">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/08/29/us/f-c-bock-82-monitor-of-nagasaki-bombing.html|title=F. C. Bock, 82, Monitor of Nagasaki Bombing|last=Saxon|first=Wolfgang|date=August 29, 2000|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=April 28, 2018|language=en-US|url-access=subscription}}</ref>
-The bomber which actually dropped [[Fat Man]] was called ''[[Bockscar]],''<ref>[http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=2546 USAF Museum - Bockscar Story] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071117185238/http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=2546 |date=2007-11-17 }} Fact Sheet</ref> an aircraft named for and usually flown by Frederick Bock. The staff was swapped just before the raid, and Major [[Charles Sweeney]] piloted ''Bockscar'', which flew with ''The Great Artiste'' and another aircraft.
+The bomber which actually dropped [[Fat Man]] was called ''[[Bockscar]],''<ref>[http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=2546 USAF Museum – Bockscar Story] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071117185238/http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=2546 |date=2007-11-17 }} Fact Sheet</ref> an aircraft named for and usually flown by Bock. The staff was swapped just before the raid, and Major [[Charles Sweeney]] piloted ''Bockscar'', which flew with ''The Great Artiste'' and another aircraft.
-[[William L. Laurence]], a science writer with the ''[[The New York Times|New York Times]],'' was civilian observer aboard ''The Great Artiste.'' His account of the mission was awarded the 1946 [[Pulitzer Prize]].<ref name=":0" />
+[[William L. Laurence]], a science writer with the ''[[The New York Times|New York Times]],'' was a civilian observer aboard ''The Great Artiste.'' His account of the mission was awarded the 1946 [[Pulitzer Prize]].<ref name="NYT" /> In his book, ''Dawn Over Zero'' (Knopf 1946), Laurence describes the scene aboard the B-29:<ref name="NYT" />
+{{Blockquote|text=I watched Capt. Frederick C. Bock, the pilot of our ship, go through the intricate motions of lifting a B-29 off the ground and marveled at the quiet efficiency of this Michigan boy who had majored in philosophy at Chicago University... I talked to him on the ground and I was amazed at the transformation that had taken place. Man and machine had become one, a modern centaur.|sign=William L. Laurence|source=Dawn Over Zero (1946)}}
-In his subsequent book, ''Dawn Over Zero'' (Knopf 1946), Laurence describes the scene aboard the B-29;<ref name=":0" />
+Bock rose to the rank of major and received the [[Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)|Distinguished Flying Cross]] and the [[Air Medal]].<ref name="NYT"/>
-{{Blockquote|text=''I watched Capt. Frederick C. Bock, the pilot of our ship, go through the intricate motions of lifting a B-29 off the ground and marveled at the quiet efficiency of this Michigan boy who had majored in philosophy at Chicago University... I talked to him on the ground and I was amazed at the transformation that had taken place. Man and machine had become one, a modern centaur.''|sign=William L. Laurence|source=Dawn Over Zero (1946)}}
-== Post War Career ==
+== Post-war career ==
+After the war, Bock returned to [[Chicago]], where he earned his [[Doctor of Philosophy|PhD]] in [[zoology]], with a specialisation in mathematical statistics and [[genetics]].<ref name="NYT" /> Working in Chicago-based research laboratories, Dr. Bock created [[algorithm]]s for solving complex problems.<ref name="NYT" /> At [[Baxter International|Baxter Travenol]] Laboratories, he devised a mathematical model for [[peritoneal dialysis]].<ref name="NYT" /> Dr. Bock retired from Baxter Travenol in 1986.
+A native of [[Greenville, Michigan]], Bock died at his [[Arizona]] home in 2000 of cancer.<ref name="NYT"/>
-After the war Bock returned to [[Chicago]] where he earned his [[Doctor of Philosophy|PhD]] in [[zoology]] with a specialisation in mathematical statistics and [[genetics]].<ref name=":0" />
-Working in Chicago based [[Research|research laboratories]] Dr. Bock created [[algorithm]]s for solving complex problems.<ref name=":0" />
-Dr. Bock retired in 1986 from [[Baxter International|Baxter Travenol]] Laboratories. It was there he devised a mathematical model for [[peritoneal dialysis]].<ref name=":0" />
-A native of [[Greenville, Michigan]], Bock died at his [[Arizona]] home in 2000, of cancer.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2000-08-30/news/0008300191_1_mr-bock-great-artiste-nagasaki|title = Frederick C. Bock, 82; Monitored Atomic Bomb Blast on Nagasaki}}</ref>
 ==References==
@@ Line 55: / Line 52: @@
 [[Category:1918 births]]
 [[Category:2000 deaths]]
-[[Category:People associated with the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki]]
+[[Category:Crew dropping the atomic bombs of Hiroshima and Nagasaki]]
 [[Category:United States Army Air Forces pilots of World War II]]
+[[Category:United States Army Air Forces bomber pilots of World War II]]
 [[Category:United States Army Air Forces officers]]
+[[Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)]]
+[[Category:Recipients of the Air Medal]]
+[[Category:20th-century American scientists]]
 [[Category:People from Greenville, Michigan]]
 [[Category:Military personnel from Michigan]]
 {{World-War-II-bio-stub}}