Richard Bong

Was a great American Air Ace having killed 40 Japanese aircraft during the Second World War. Bong was a USAAF pilot and was awarded the Medal of Honor.

Her youth
Bong son of a Swedish immigrant grew up on a farm near Poplar in Wisconsin. He was very interested in aviation and was a model builder.

He began his studies at the college of state professors in 1938. At college, Bong enrolled in the civilian pilot training program and also took lessons in private flying. In 1941, he enrolled in the cadet program of the Air Force Corps. One of his instructors was Barry Colwater (who was a long time senator in Arizona and did not succeed in running for the presidential election in 1964). Bong's skill as a combat pilot was recognized in training in North Carolina. He received his wings and was taken up as a second lieutenant in January 1942 and was directly appointed as an artillery instructor. He gained a reputation as an acrobat pilot when he looped around the center of the Golden Gate Bridge in his P-38 and saluted the People in the office buildings while flying along the market street.

Fighting 

In September 1942, Bong was assigned to the 9th Fighter Squadron, the "Flying Knights" with the 49th Hunt Group, which was linked to the New Guinea campaign in the Southwest Pacific Theater. While his squadron awaited the delivery of their Lockleed P-38, Bong flew under the command of Captain Thomas J. Lynch in the 39th Fighter Squadron (35th Hunt Group) which was based in Port Moresby, New Guinea. On December 27, 1942, he had his first aerial victory, a Mitsubishi A6M "Zero" and a Nakajima Ki-43 "Oscar" over Buna (during the Battle of Buna-Gona in New Guinea). For his conduct that day, he received the Silver Star.

In March he returned to the 49th Hunt Group at Schwimmer Airfield near Moresby. On July 26, 1943, Bong defeated 4 Japanese aircraft over Lae and consequently received the Cross for distinguished service. In August he left on leave and left Australia.

During the month of April 1944, Captain Bong shot 27 planes that surpassed Eddie Rickenbacker's US record of 26 victories during the First World War.


After a long leave in the United States, during which he met his future wife, Marjorie Vattendahl, Major Bong returned to New Guinea in September 1944 and appointed his P-38 "Marge". On March 8, Tom Lynch, his mentor and friend, was killed. Bong continued to fly during the Philippine campaign. He increased his victory total to 40 in December 1944, the same month he received the Medal of Honor.

The quote from Bong's medal of honor said he had stolen despite his "instructor" status. In fact, he was an officer for the 5th Fighter Command as there was no wartime instructor. His rank of major qualified him for the command of a squadron, but he has always flown as a flight commander (four aircraft) or element (two aircraft).

In January 1945, the allied air commander in the Southwest Pacific, General George Kenney sent the ace to his home for good. Bong maria Marge and participated in numerous public relations activities such as promoting the sale of war debt securities.

His death
Bong then became the test pilot for Lockheed, flying aboard the P-80 jet fighter at Burbank airport. On August 6, 1945, the main fuel pump was sheared during take-off on flight P-80A 44-85048. Due to the lack of reading of the aircraft manual, Bong could not switch to the auxiliary pump. Bong ejected from the plane successfully, but it was so low that his parachute could not unfold. His death, which would probably have made the front page of the newspapers, was overshadowed by the bombing of Hiroshima on the same day.

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