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Richard Ira "Dick" Bong America's "Ace of Aces" 24 SEP 1920 / 6 AUG 1945 People have asked us on occasion why we chose this picture of Dick Bong to highlight the page, rather than the more famous one of him sitting in the cockpit of his P‑38. That's an easy one...we wanted to let everyone know just how young this hero was when he did all of those amazing things. And how young he was when he died. This image reflects that perfectly. |
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Medals and Decorations Medal of Honor 
Dick Bong has been honored in many ways. Here are just a couple:
Dick Bong is buried in Poplar Cemetery in Poplar, WI |
With 40 aerial victories, this Wisconsin farm boy became America's top ace, only to die in a tragic P‑80 crash at home. While in the war, he was the one to beat...but nobody ever did. The pilot who came closest, Tommy McGuire, died on the mission where he might have tied Bong's record. Of course, then Bong probably would have insisted on going back up again to give it another go!
The Richard and Marge love story is one for the ages. If you'd like to read about it, you can pick up a copy (called Memories) here. ...or, if you prefer model airplanes, here is a P‑38 with the "Marge" noseart. (1:115)  
Biography Richard Ira Bong, who would become America's "Ace of Aces," was born on September 24, 1920, the son of a Swedish immigrant. He grew up on a farm near the small town of Poplar, Wisconsin. Dick did well in high school, helped on the farm, and pursued many interests as a teenager. He played on the school's baseball, basketball and hockey teams; played clarinet in the school band; sang in the church choir; and enjoyed fishing and hunting.
In 1941, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps Aviation Cadet Program. He did his primary flight training at Rankin Aeronautical Academy in California in June 1941, and completed Basic at Gardner Field, California. He then went to Luke Field near Phoenix, Arizona, for Advanced Training in single-engine (fighter) planes, where he learned to master the AT‑6 under Captain Barry Goldwater.
While mastering the twin-engine craft at Hamilton Field, San Francisco, he first attracted the attention of General George Kenney, his future mentor and head of the Fifth Air Force. When General Kenney went to the Pacific in September, 1942, Bong was one of the pilots he tapped to join the 49th Fighter Group. Second Lieutenant Bong was assigned to the 9th Fighter Squadron, the "Flying Knights," and was sent to Australia to "hurry up and wait." While waiting for P‑38s to be delivered, Bong flew with Captain Thomas Lynch, 39th FS of the 35th FG, operating out of Port Moresby, New Guinea. On December 27, 1942, while flying with the 35th, Bong scored his first aerial victories, a Zero and an Oscar; for this he earned a Silver Star.
General Kenney took him out of action again and promoted him to Major. Bong was finally grounded and sent home by General Kenney. He was the most successful U.S. fighter pilot of WWII. In an unfortunate coincidence of historic events, on August 6, 1945, while half a world away the Enola Gay dropped the bomb on Hiroshima, Bong stepped into an airplane for the last time. His P‑80 malfunctioned just after take-off, and while he bailed out, he didn't survive the crash. He was just too close to the ground. After surviving two years of combat flying, Richard Ira Bong met his end while on a routine acceptance flight.
Be sure to visit the Richard I. Bong Veteran's Historical Center website for more great photos and information. |
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Bong's P‑38, Marge,
was the most well-known of all Lightnings during the war and remains so today, with the possible exception of 
Like many boys of his era, he became interested in aviation at a young age, and was an avid model builder.
He started at Superior State Teachers College in 1938, where he enrolled in the Civilian Pilot training program, also taking private flying lessons. 
In January of 1942, just after Pearl Harbor, Dick earned his Army Air Corps commission and his coveted pilot's wings. After a few months he got the chance to train in Lockheed's big new fighter, the P‑38. 
Bong's "kills" were evenly spread out throughout his time flying combat. Although most of Bong's victories were in the earlier stages of the war against very experienced Japanese pilots, Bong was considered extremely lucky in finding the enemy. Some pilots hardly saw any enemy fighters in all their time flying combat. 