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1st Lt Robert A. Boock graduated from Beloit Memorial High School in Beloit, Wisconsin, and attended the University of Illinois for one year.
He joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve as a Pilot Officer and from 8 September to 29 September 1942 was assigned to No. 71 Squadron, based at RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey. On 29 September 1944, he transferred to the 334th Fighter Squadron in the 4th Fighter Group of the 8th Air Force at RAF Dedben.
Since entering the service, Lt Boock had attained a wide reputation for daring. He was credited with downing four Nazi planes and has a half-plane credit shared with another pilot who was attacking at the same time. On an escort mission over the English Channel, he was forced to bail out and was rescued by a British boat. During another raid on the continent, a cannon shell tore off his cockpit covering. Although blinded by blood, he landed his crippled plane safely, guided only by radio.
The plane of Lt Boock was last sighted near Walcheren Island and headed toward Blankenberghe, Belgium at 1702 hours, 34,000 feet altitude. 12 Bf-109s were seen approaching his squadron from the Antwerp area, and two Bf-109s from the south. Approximately 10 miles off the coast, several more Bf-109s engaged in the attack, and Lt Boock's plane was hit; flames were seen coming from the port side. Lt Blanding, another member of the group on the same mission, sighted two aircraft crashing, one about 10 miles off Blankenberghe, Belgium, and the other on the beach between Ostend and Blankenberghe.

Due to the fact that this fighter group was the only group in the vicinity at that time, it is believed that Lt Boock's plane crashed 10 miles off Blankenberghe. The other aircraft, which was seen to crash on the beach, was a Bf-109, claimed by Capt Andrews of the same group.