Pilot on the first flight of America’s B-1 bomber
Col. Charles C. “Charlie” Bock Jr. earned a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering in 1949. He had a long and distinguished career as a bomber pilot, fighter pilot, test pilot, and military astronaut designee. Bock flew more than 100 combat missions during the Korean and Vietnam wars. In 1973, he retired from the U.S. Air Force and joined Rockwell International Corporation as chief test pilot for the B-1 bomber program. He piloted the first test flight of the B-1 bomber in December 1974. After retiring from Rockwell in 1981, Bock served Northrop Corporation from 1982 to 1984 as a consultant on its B-2 stealth bomber project. In recognition of his accomplishments, Purdue honored Bock with an Outstanding Aerospace Engineer Award in 2016.