Born in Sandusky, Ohio, Shock witnessed dozens of airships flying overhead all throughout his childhood. Shock served in the U.S. Army during World War II. Following the war, Shock became a manager of engineering facilities with General Motors, retiring in 1989 after thirty-nine years with the company. He currently resides in Maineville, Ohio, and, in his retirement, has written five books and a plethora of articles on airships, airship facilities, and the U.S. Army Barrage Balloon Program, some of which are included in the collection. Shock personally donated six volumes of his research collection, along with seventeen volumes of Foundation Magazine and copies of his books and monographs.
According to his personal biographical note, James R. Shock "has been studying, researching, and collecting information on airships virtually all his life."
From the guide to the James R. Shock Airship Collection, 1908-2005, 1994-1999, (Wright State University, Special Collections and Archives)
