George Henry Bullock was born August 26, 1919 in New Hartford, NY to Joseph Bullock (1896-1944) and Victoria Ashline (1898-1983). His parents were married on April 1, 1918 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. He had two younger brothers, Robert (1924-1973) and Joseph (1930-2003). His dad was a foreman for a local knitting mill. Both his parents were from the United States. In 1925 the NY State Census recorded the family living on Richardson Ave. in Utica, NY.

He attended grade schools in New Hartford before moving to Springfield, Mass. for a time. He moved back to the New Hartford area in 1933 where he attended St. Francis de Sales and graduated from Utica Free Academy in 1938. While there he was known as “Curly” and was in the Social Science Club and the Science Club.

He enlisted in the NY National Guard on September 30, 1937 and served in their Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 10th Infantry Division until 1939 when he resigned to join the Air Corp. He graduated from the air school at Roosevelt Field, NY and was with the 22nd Bomb Group at Mitchel Field on Long Island (activated February 1940) and Langley Field, Virginia (November 1940). He was recorded on a 1940 US Census as being in the barracks at Mitchel Field. The 22nd transitioned from the Douglas B-18 to the new Martin B-26 Marauder in 1941. From there the 22nd flew antisubmarine patrols from Muroc Army Air Field, California immediately after Pearl Harbor and then sailed to Australia in January 1942.

The 18th Reconnaissance Squadron (later the 408th Bombardment Squadron) flew numerous combat missions out of Australia against enemy targets at Rabaul, Lae, Salamaua, Gasmata and in support of the Battle of the Coral Sea. S/Sgt. Bullock's first combat mission was likely on May 4, 1942 against Vunakanau Airfield near Rabaul. On the morning of May 15, 1942, S/Sgt. Bullock was the Engineer aboard a Martin B-26 Marauder, serial number 40-1390, nicknamed "Lil Deicer," when it crashed immediately after takeoff from Reid River Airfield, about 40 miles south of Townsville, Queensland. The aircraft reportedly suffered an engine failure during takeoff, lost control, and crashed, killing everyone aboard.

Crew members killed that day:

Pilot 2nd Lt. Robert "Bud" M. Rye
Co-Pilot Lt. John A. Phipps
Passenger Lt. Jack W. Oliver
Bombardier Lt. James W. Currie
Engineer S/Sgt. George H. Bullock
Crew Chief T/Sgt. John E. Cunningham
Engineer Cpl. Duward R. Davis, Jr.
Mechanic Cpl. Joseph A. Kovach

In March 1948, during the government's body recovery progream, S/Sgt.Bullock's remains were returned home aboard the USAT Cardinal O'Connell and buried in the Calvary Cemetery, Utica, NY. Full military honors were held at the St. Francis de Sales Church.

This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project. This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 421,000+ of the US WWII fallen on Together We Served and Fold3.

(Please see - http://www.storiesbehindthestars.org).

Can you help us write these stories? Together We Served and Fold3/Find A Grave have smartphone apps that will allow people to visit any war memorial or cemetery and read these stories of WWII fallen.

If you noticed anything erroneous in this profile or have additional information to contribute, please contact Jim Greenberg at jim.greenberg@oneonta.edu.

SBTSProject/New York/Oneida

Sources

Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania, U.S., Marriages, 1852-1968 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/125173248/george_h-bullock: accessed July 10, 2026), memorial page for SSGT George H. Bullock (26 Aug 1919–15 May 1942), Find a Grave Memorial ID 125173248, citing Calvary Cemetery, Utica, Oneida County, New York, USA; Maintained by John Dowdy (contributor 47791572).

“Krogstad Starts Awarding 'E's' at Langley Field”, Army Times, Washington, D.C., August 9, 1941, pg. 3.

National Archives at Washington DC; Washington DC, USA; Applications for Headstones For U.S. Military Veterans, 1925-1941; NAID: 596118; Record Group Number: 92; Record Group Title: Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General

New York State Archives; Albany, New York; Collection: New York, New York National Guard Service Cards, 1917-1954; Series: B2001; Film Number: 3

New York State Archives; Albany, New York; State Population Census Schedules, 1925; Election District: 02; Assembly District: 02; City: Utica Ward 17; County: Oneida; Page: 3

Pacific Wrecks website accessed at https://pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/b-26/40-1390.html on July 11, 2026.

“Rites Planned for War Dead”, Utica Daily Press, Utica, NY, March 9, 1948, pg. 6.

“Two More Uticans Enlist in Air Corps”, Utica Observer-Dispatch, Utica, NY, July 12, 1939, Local News Section, pg. 1.

"U.S., School Yearbooks, 1880-2012"; School Name: Utica Free Academy; Year: 1938

"Utica Airman Killed in Crash in Far East", Daily Sentinel, Rome, NY, May 23, 1942, pg. 9.

“Utica Airman Killed in Far East Crash”, Utica Daily Press, Utica, NY, May 23, 1942, pg. 1.

“Utican Killed in Far East”, Utica Observer-Dispatch, date and page illegible. From fultonhistory.com search.

“Veteran Accorded Military Rites”, Utica Observer-Dispatch, Utica, NY, date illegible [likely March 8, 1948], pg. 2-A.

Supporting Documents