Marine Staff Sgt. Michael A. Bock

Died August 13, 2010 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

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26, of Leesburg, Fla.; assigned to 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif.; died Aug. 13 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, while supporting combat operations.

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Twentynine Palms staff NCO dies in Helmand

Staff report

A California-based staff NCO died on Aug. 13 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan, the Defense Department announced Aug. 16.

Staff Sgt. Michael A. Bock, 26, of Leesburg, Fla., was assigned to the 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, based at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center at Twentynine Palms.

According to The Associated Press, Bock was raised in Springfield, Neb., and moved to Florida when he was in high school. He was a graduate of Leesburg (Fla.) High School.

He is survived by his wife, Tiffany, and a 3-year-old son, AP reported.

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Flags lowered in memory of decorated Marine

By Kate McGinty

The (Palm Springs, Calif.) Desert Sun

TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. — The state lowered its Capitol flags Aug. 16 in honor of a decorated Twentynine Palms staff sergeant who was killed in action.

Staff Sgt. Michael A Bock, 26, was a combat engineer serving on his fourth tour of duty.

He was shot Aug. 13 by small arms fire while serving in Helmand Province in southwest Afghanistan, according to the Marine Corps.

During his eight years of service, Bock had earned a long list of service awards, including a Purple Heart, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and Combat Action Ribbon.

“Staff Sgt. Michael Bock worked hard in the line of duty, defending our nation with pride and honor. The loss of his life is a terrible loss for our country,” Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said in a statement Aug. 16, with the order to lower the flags for 72 hours.

Bock, who grew up in Nebraska and attended high school in Leesburg, Fla., enlisted in the Marine Corps in July 2002. He served on three previous combat deployments, including two in Iraq in 2003 and 2005.

He most recently lived in Nebraska with his wife and their 3-year-old son.

Bock was assigned to 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, out of Twentynine Palms.

“The Marines and sailors of the combat center are saddened by the loss of Staff Sgt. Bock. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family,” the military wrote when announcing his death.

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Omaha mayor orders flags lowered to honor Marine

The Associated Press

OMAHA, Neb. — Omaha Mayor Jim Suttle is asking Omaha residents to lower their flags to half-staff on Saturday to honor the memory of Marine Staff Sgt. Michael Bock, who was killed in Afghanistan.

The body of the 26-year-old Bock was flown to Offutt Air Force Base south of Omaha this week.

The Pentagon says Bock died Aug. 13. He was assigned to the 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, which is based at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, Calif.

Bock grew up in Springfield, Neb., and spent most of his childhood in Nebraska before moving to Leesburg, Fla., while in high school.

His widow and 3-year-old son lived in Omaha.

The funeral is scheduled for Saturday.