William J. Bobek

BOBEK William J. Bobek, CDR, USN, ret. died Sunday, August 27, 2006 at Covenant Hospice in Pensacola after a short illness. He was born in Caldwell, Kansas in October of 1922, he enlisted in the US Navy at the age of 19 and became an aviation machinists mate. In 1944, he was selected for flight training and received his wings as an aviation pilot first class in December 1945. He was assigned as a TBM pilot to Torpedo Squadron-82 and was later commissioned. He served as a flight instructor at Saufley Field in Pensacola and attended the Photographic Interpretation School in Washington, D.C. before being assigned to VP-62 in Jacksonville, Florida. Piloting the F2H-2P Photo Banshee, Lt. Bobek pioneered the study of hurricanes by flying the single seat fighters with photo equipment over the tops of storms and down into the eye. He later served as a landing signal officer on various Navy aircraft carriers before continuing his career in the field of Navy intelligence at the Fleet Intelligence Center, Kenitra, Morocco and the Atlantic Intelligence Center, in Norfolk, Virginia. He returned to Jacksonville as the Superintendent of the Aviation Ordinanceman School and retired while serving at Ellyson Field, Pensacola in 1970. After retirement, Bill was most at home at the National Museum of Naval Aviation, which has on display at Banshee his log books show he piloted thirty years earlier. CDR. Bobek is survived by his wife of thirty years, Mary Bobek of Pensacola, Florida; his stepson, David Todd of Pensacola; his son, Barry A. Bobek of Jacksonville, Florida and his daughter, Bernadette M. Bobek of Roseland, Florida, as well as six grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Funeral services will be conducted at Faith Chapel Funeral Home South at 1:00p.m., Wednesday August 30, 2006, followed by Interment at Barrancas National Cemetery. FAITH CHAPEL. FUNERAL HOME SOUTH, 100 Beverly Parkway, is in charge of arrangements. The family will receive friends from 12:00 until 1:00 p.m., until the time of the service at the funeral home. The family wishes to thank the staff at Covenant Hospice in Pensacola and to encourage friends and family to support the hospice effort. Please Sign the Guestbook @ Jacksonville.com