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Richard "Dick" Ira Bong (September 24, 1920 – August 6, 1945) was a United States Army Air Forces major and Medal of Honor recipient in World War II. He was one of the most decorated American fighter pilots and the country's top flying ace in the war, credited with shooting down 40 Japanese aircraft, all with the Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighter.
Oct 25, 2021 · Learn about the life and achievements of Richard Bong, who downed 40 enemy planes and became the top American ace of World War II. Discover how he died in a test flight and how his plane was found in the jungle after 80 years.
- William Delong
Learn about Richard Bong, the Wisconsin-born pilot who became America's top ace of aces in World War II, shooting down 40 enemy planes. Explore his life, achievements, legacy and memorial at the Richard I Bong Veterans Historical Center.
Learn about the life and achievements of Richard Bong, the “Ace of Aces” who shot down 40 enemy planes and received the Medal of Honor. Discover how he became a flying legend, met his wife Marge, and died in a tragic accident.
- Malloryk
Nov 7, 2016 · Learn about the spectacular combat career of Richard I. Bong, who shot down 40 Japanese aircraft and became the top-scoring American pilot of World War II. Read how he flew P-38s in New Guinea and the Philippines, and how he was disciplined by General Kenney for his stunts.
May 23, 2024 · The Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center in Superior, Wisconsin, and the nonprofit World War II historical preservation group Pacific Wrecks announced in March they were launching a joint search for Bong’s Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighter. Bong nicknamed the plane “Marge” after his girlfriend, Marge Vattendahl.
Learn about the life and achievements of Richard Bong, who became the top American fighter pilot in World War II with 40 kills. Read his story from his childhood in Wisconsin to his combat missions in the Pacific, his promotion to major, and his legacy.
