WILLIAM L. BULLOCK, MIDN, USN
William Bullock '16
Lucky Bag
There is a full page in the 1916 Lucky Bag: "In Memory of William Leonard Bullock, Midshipman, United States Navy, Class of 1916, Died July 21, 1912."
Loss
William Leonard Bullock was lost on July 21, 1912 when he fell from the mainmast of USS Hartford during training. The ship was moored at the Naval Academy at the time.
Other Information
From researcher Kathy Franz:
William, who was 6 feet tall, was appointed to the Naval Academy by Congressman Hardy. He had been at the academy for just a few weeks when he fell to his death.
Because William’s father was so ill, he was not told of William’s death. William’s last letter reached his mother on July 23.
From the San Antonio Express on July 29, 1912:
. . . when his comrades rushed to his side he was dead. It had cost him his life, but he had performed his duty as he saw it, and in this he died like a hero. As years pass by, the cadets at Annapolis will hear the story of the death of the young Texan and it will be an inspiration to them to do their duty in whatever manner the duty may be demanded. It is not always in the naval engagement that the boy who has adopted sea fighting as his career is called to die in the line of duty, nor does his duty consist alone in firing the guns at an enemy of his country, but his duty lies in doing whatever may seem to him right to do, and if he falls from a mast to death he has done his duty as faithfully as if he had been shot down while defending the flag floating above his ship from an attack by an enemy of his country.”
In 1900 Corsicana, his father William was a clothing furnisher, mother Emma, brothers Kenneth and Hicks, and sister Kathleen.
He was survived by his parents — though his father died barely a week later on July 29th — and two brothers. He was born in Rockdale, Texas and is buried in Texas.
William is one of 16 members of the Class of 1916 on Virtual Memorial Hall.
The "category" links below lead to lists of related Honorees; use them to explore further the service and sacrifice of alumni in Memorial Hall.
