Carroll County

Cpl. Vernon L. Bock

 

 

 

For 2 Scranton War Victims

Scranton (THNS) -- Memorial services were held Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Methodist Church for William McCoy who died in a German Prison camp. Rev. E.L. Stone, local pastor, had charge of the services.

Memorial services were held 10 a.m. Monday at the St Paul's Catholic Church for Corp. Vernon Bock, who was killed in action May 29 on the Aleutian Islands. Father T.J. Perion was in charge with Father A.E. Zimmerman of Jefferson giving the funeral oration. Both services were under the auspices of the American Legion.

Source: Carroll Daily Times Herald, June 24, 1943

Posthumous Award To Corporal Bock

The Purple Heart has been awarded posthumously to Cpl. Vernon L. Bock, son of Mr. and Mrs. C.F. Bock of Glidden, who had lost his life in the battle of the Aleutians May 29.

Henry L. Stimson, secretary of war, has written to the youth's mother that "At the request of the President, I write to inform you that the Purple Heart has been awarded posthumously to your son, Cpl Vernon L. Bock, Infantry, who sacrificed his life in defense of his country." The letter further states that the medal will be received by Mrs. Bock shortly.

Source: Carroll Daily Times Herald, July 6, 1943 (photo included)

Iowa Honor Roll

Like the men pictured here on previous Sundays, these Iowans have given their lives for their country.  Each one was either killed in action or died in prison camp. The fourth line under each picture gives the area in which the man last served. The list will be continued in future weeks.

Source: The Des Moines Sunday Register, March 12, 1944 (photos included)

Reburial Rites Wednesday for Cpl. V.L. Bock

Glidden Soldier Lost His Life in Action in Aleutian Islands in 1943

Final service will be conducted at 9 a.m. Wednesday at St. Paul's Catholic church, Scranton, for Cpl. Vernon L. Bock, son of Mr. and Mrs. C.F. Bock, who live on a farm eight and one-half miles southeast of Glidden.

Requiem mass will be read by the pastor, Rev. Fr. T.J. Perion.

Reburial will be in Sacred Heart cemetery, Templeton.

The military service will be in charge of Merle Hay Post, American Legion of Glidden.

The body will arrive at 11 a.m. Tuesday to the Huffman Funeral home there, where the rosary will be prayed at 8 o'clock Tuesday evening.

The infantryman was 24 years old when he was killed in action in the Aleutian islands, May 29, 1943.

Inducted in 1942

Cpl. Bock was inducted into the army, February 1, 1942, at Fort Des Moines. He received his basic training at Camp Wolters, Tex., and was then sent to Camp Luis Obispo, Calif. From there he went to Fort Ord, and hence to the Aleutians.

The soldier was born at Templeton in October, 1918. He was reared at Raeville, Neb., where he was graduated from the St. Bonaventure school. Eight years ago he moved back to Carroll county with his parents, who have farmed in the Glidden community since then. He was assisting with work on the farm when he was inducted in to the army.

He belonged to St. Paul's church at Scranton.

A brother, S/Sgt. Donald Bock, who was stationed at Lowrey Field, Colo., at the time of Cpl. Bock's death, lost his life in Romania Aug. 10, 1944. S/Sgt. Bock was a turret gunner in the air corps.

Surviving are his parents and eight brothers and sisters: Mrs. Joe Brinker (Ruth), Dunlap; Mrs. Fred Kohles (Bernice), Des Moines; Jean, Carroll; Ione, a nurse at Mercy hospital, Des Moines; Phyllis, Glidden, and Ralph, Howard and Shirley, at home. His grandmother, Mrs. Mary Bock, lives in Templeton.

Source: Carroll Daily Times Herald, October 2, 1948

Vernon Lawrence Bock was born Oct. 17, 1918 to Cornelius F. and Mayme Katherine Heithoff Bock. He died May 29, 1943 and is buried in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Templeton, IA.

Cpl. Bock served in World War II with the U.S. Army 32nd Infantry. He was KIA in the Aleutian Islands.

Source: ancestry.com