Frank and Comfort were in Pearl Harbor when the bombing began. They had a hard time getting back with the girls. He was then transferred to Europe where he was almost killed in the battle of the Bulge. Both during and after the war Frank struggled with drink. Eventually he was discharged.
Battle of the Bulge:16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945
Douglas Sugg) aiming for a sharp jog in the road where stood the village of Pironpre. On the left the 346th Infantry (Col. Richard B. Wheeler) had a more restricted task, that is, to block the roads coming into St. Hubert from the south.
Earlier the Panzer Lehr had out posted Highway N26, the 345th route of advance, but apparently these roadblock detachments had been called in and Sugg's combat team marched the first five miles without meeting the enemy. The advance guard, formed by the 1st Battalion (Lt. Col. Frank L. Bock), was within sight of the crossroads village of Moircy and less than two miles from the objective when a pair of enemy burp guns began to chatter. This was only outpost fire, and the leading rifle company moved on until, some five hundred yards short of Moircy, the enemy fire suddenly thickened across the open, snow-covered fields, causing many casualties and halting the Americans. The accompanying cannoneers (the 334th Field Artillery) went into action, the mortar crews started to work, and both Companies A and B deployed for the assault. Short rushes brought the rifle line forward, though very slowly. By 1400 the Americans were on the edge of Moircy, but the two companies had lost most of their officers and their ranks were riddled.
Colonel Bock ordered his reserve company to circle west of the village and take the next hamlet, Jenneville. While moving over a little rise outside Jenneville, the leading platoon met a fusillade of bullets that claimed twenty casualties in two minutes. Nevertheless the 2d Platoon of Company C reached the edge of the village. At this moment two enemy tanks appeared, stopped as if to survey the scene, then began to work their machine guns. The artillery forward observer crawled toward the panzers to take a look, and was shot. The Company C commander then called for the artillery, bringing the exploding shells within fifty yards of his own men. The German tanks still refused to budge. Two men crept forward with bazookas, only to be killed by the tank machine guns, but this episode apparently shook the tank crews, who now pulled out of range. Meanwhile Moircy had been taken and the battalion commander told Company C to fall back.
The expected German counterattack at Moircy came about three hours before midnight. Tanks pacing the assault set fire to the houses with tracer bullets, and the two battalion antitank guns were abandoned. Although Colonel Sugg ordered the battalion out, the company radios failed and in the confusion only Companies A and B left the village. Some of the machine gunners, a platoon of Company B, and most of Company C stayed on, taking to the cellars when the American artillery-including a battery of 240-mm. howitzers-started to shell Moircy. By midnight the Germans had had enough and evacuated the village. Bock then ordered the remaining defenders out. This day of sharp fighting cost the 1st Battalion seven officers and 125 men. Most of the wounded were evacuated, however; during the night battle in Moircy one aid man had twice moved the twelve wounded in his charge from burning buildings.
The much touted Fuehrer Begleit attack failed on the 30th to dent the Bastogne corridor-indeed it can be said that it never started. What of the eastern
Earlier the Panzer Lehr had out posted Highway N26, the 345th route of advance, but apparently these roadblock detachments had been called in and Sugg's combat team marched the first five miles without meeting the enemy. The advance guard, formed by the 1st Battalion (Lt. Col. Frank L. Bock), was within sight of the crossroads village of Moircy and less than two miles from the objective when a pair of enemy burp guns began to chatter. This was only outpost fire, and the leading rifle company moved on until, some five hundred yards short of Moircy, the enemy fire suddenly thickened across the open, snow-covered fields, causing many casualties and halting the Americans. The accompanying cannoneers (the 334th Field Artillery) went into action, the mortar crews started to work, and both Companies A and B deployed for the assault. Short rushes brought the rifle line forward, though very slowly. By 1400 the Americans were on the edge of Moircy, but the two companies had lost most of their officers and their ranks were riddled.
Colonel Bock ordered his reserve company to circle west of the village and take the next hamlet, Jenneville. While moving over a little rise outside Jenneville, the leading platoon met a fusillade of bullets that claimed twenty casualties in two minutes. Nevertheless the 2d Platoon of Company C reached the edge of the village. At this moment two enemy tanks appeared, stopped as if to survey the scene, then began to work their machine guns. The artillery forward observer crawled toward the panzers to take a look, and was shot. The Company C commander then called for the artillery, bringing the exploding shells within fifty yards of his own men. The German tanks still refused to budge. Two men crept forward with bazookas, only to be killed by the tank machine guns, but this episode apparently shook the tank crews, who now pulled out of range. Meanwhile Moircy had been taken and the battalion commander told Company C to fall back.
The expected German counterattack at Moircy came about three hours before midnight. Tanks pacing the assault set fire to the houses with tracer bullets, and the two battalion antitank guns were abandoned. Although Colonel Sugg ordered the battalion out, the company radios failed and in the confusion only Companies A and B left the village. Some of the machine gunners, a platoon of Company B, and most of Company C stayed on, taking to the cellars when the American artillery-including a battery of 240-mm. howitzers-started to shell Moircy. By midnight the Germans had had enough and evacuated the village. Bock then ordered the remaining defenders out. This day of sharp fighting cost the 1st Battalion seven officers and 125 men. Most of the wounded were evacuated, however; during the night battle in Moircy one aid man had twice moved the twelve wounded in his charge from burning buildings.
The much touted Fuehrer Begleit attack failed on the 30th to dent the Bastogne corridor-indeed it can be said that it never started. What of the eastern
THE STORY OF THE 87th INFANTRY DIVISION
The 345th relieved the 347th late Jan. 7, and 2nd Bn. was called out of reserve the next day to help repel a German drive to regain Bonnerue. Lt. Col. Frank L. Bock, 1st Bn. CO, was severely wounded in the action. The fight for the town raged three days until enemy resistance collapsed all along the line. During the final phases of the battle the 912th FA Bn. fired approximately 1500 rounds.
Major General, Commanding |
- WAR RECORD #397
- DESCRIPTION: Greek war relief. George N.
Michopulos, left, and Charles Costas, right, present two $1,000
checks to Army Emergency Relief and Navy Relief Association.
Chaplain T.C. Miller and Lt. Col. Frank L. Bock, center, receive
money for their organizations.
Mr. Michopulos, Mrs. Costas, the Merchants Grill, the Monte Carlo Cafe and Detor Jewelers contributed the funds. - HWRD DATE: 3-Sep-42 (printed)
- NEWSPAPER: SB
- NEWSPAPER PUBL DATE: 3 Sep 1942
- NEWSPAPER CAPTION: PARTY MONEY GOES TO RELIEF: Originally slated to be spent on a party for army and navy personnel of Greek ancestry, two $1,000 checks found their way to the Army Emergency Relief and Navy Relief association funds Wednesday. George N. Michopulos, left, and Charles Costas, right, presented the checks to Chapllain T.C. Miller and Lt. Col. Frank L. Bock, center, who received the money for their organizations which will convert it into emergency relief assistance for army and navy dependents. Mr. Michopulos, Mr. Costas, the Merchants Grill, the Monte Carlo Cafe and Detor Jewelers contributed the funds.
- WAR RECORD #684
- DESCRIPTION: St. Andrew's Center opening. Prominent persons in Army, Navy, and civilian circles here attended a luncheon Tuesday marking the opening of Center for Service Men, a dining room catering exclusively to service man. At the left, right to left, are: Bishop S. Harrington Littell, the Rev. Ardys T. Dean, Mayor Petrie and Lt. Col. F.L. Bock, USA. On the right, left to right, are: Attorney Robbins B. Anderson and Admiral Chester W. Nimitz.
- HWRD DATE: 11-Aug-42 (Date on back of photo.)
- NEWSPAPER: SB
- NEWSPAPER PUBL DATE: 12 Aug 1942
- NEWSPAPER CAPTION: AT ST. ANDREW'S CENTER OPENING: Prominent persons in army, navy and civilian circles here attended a luncheon Tuesday marking the opening of St. Andrew's Center for Service men. At the left, right to left, are: Bishop S. Harrington Littell, the Rev. Ardys T. Dean, Mayor Petrie and Lt. Col. F.L. Beck, USA. On the right, left to right, are: Attorney Robbins B. Anderson and Admiral Chester W. Nimitz. The center, located in Davies Hall, St. Andrew's cathedral groounds, Emma St. is open daily from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., daily, except Sunday.
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I found a very special article on ancestry.com about what an amazing officer and gentleman he was. He was seriously wounded below the waist by small arms fire in Germany and walked to the aide station by himself to get assistance. When he noticed that he was getting special attention due to his rank, he insisted on joining the enlisted men. Here is the link to the ancestry.com article I found titled, "Lt. Col. F.L. Bock is 'Regular Guy' "
2013
Dear Kent,
I just had a very
nice conversation with Charles Lindsey.
I found out that he found the tag about 30 feet behind his house right
next to the remains of an old car "turn bridge" on the San Joaquin
River. He dug about 3 feet down into the
dirt and that's how he found it. What are the odds?
He has found many relics in that area, including bottles and
a lighter dated 1852. He mentioned that there was a German POW camp in
Firebaugh, Fresno County, CA. I
researched it and found that the Firebaugh Branch POW Camp housed 250 P.O.W.'s
and was agricultural in nature:
http://www.militarymuseum.org/HistoryPosts.html Perhaps Lt. Colonel Bock served there.
He is going to mail the tag this week. I've included a picture of it that he just
sent me. I've also asked him to send a
picture of himself holding the tag at the spot where he found it. I thought your family would enjoy that. He is such a nice man! He had a hard time in school and only
finished 8th grade, so says his writing skills are not the best and he is
afraid the family won't be able to read his writing. He is going to have a friend print out the
address for him. I'll email you the
pictures and would ask that you please forward all the information to his
daughter on our behalf, if it's not too much trouble. I am trying to clear a huge backlog of tag
requests at the moment. I normally don't
spend this much time researching a tag, but this tag is fascinating and I can't
help myself! It ranks up there in my
"Top Ten" tag returns! Best,
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Frank L. Bock
O-17265 T-41
L.E. Bock
Calicoon, NY T-43 T-44
P
O-17265 T-41
L.E. Bock
Calicoon, NY T-43 T-44
P
The "T-" info on the tag indicates that
he was given his tetanus shots in the years 1941, 1943 and 1944, (most likely
close to the dates when he shipped out for combat.) The "O-" indicates he was an
officer.
Find location:
San Joaquin River view below:
View from bridge Firebaugh
View from bridge Firebaugh
Actual spot where the dog tag was found:
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San Joaquin River view below:
View from bridge Firebaugh
View from bridge Firebaugh
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March 7, 2013:
Hi, quick update. I got a text message from Charles earlier today. He mailed the tag either yesterday (or today?), so I imagine it should be there by Monday. I assume you are in touch with Ann and Ward, so please give us a call or an email when the tag arrives. I'm including a picture of the actual hole where he found the tag. It is very close to the river. Perhaps it washed down the river from the location of the Firebough POW camp. Truly a mystery to me how the tag came to be there. I'm also including a picture of the sign explaining the historic significance of the town of Firebaugh. Charles sent me a few more pics of the old car turn-bridge and the river near the "dig site". Let me know if you would be interested in those pictures, as well. Francesca
| Birth | 28 April 1905 |
| Death | 3 August 1975 |
| Burial Place | Mountain View Cemetery, Eden, Utah, United States |
| Married | Not Available |
| Contributor | alpeterson (June 4, 2012) |
