Major Richard Ira Bong, known by his sobriquet “Ace of Aces,” was the highest-scoring American fighter ace in World War II, with 40 enemy aircraft to his credit. Born in Poplar, Wisconsin, on September 24, 1920, how this small-town boy made it to the top, becoming one of the most famous heroes of war, has been an epitome of excellence and bravery he held within.
It was Bong’s early interest in aircraft that saw him enroll in the Civilian Aeronautics Authority during his college days and develop flying skills. By February 1941, he had joined the Army Air Corps Aviation Cadet Program, and by January 1942, he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army Air Force Reserves. His aerial gunnery skills quickly made him an instructor, and soon after, he was selected by General George C. Kenney for service with the Fifth Air Force in the Pacific theater.
It quickly earned Bong a reputation in the Pacific with his gutsy style of combat. His strategy closed in for accuracy, so by November 1943, he had been awarded the Silver Star and the Distinguished Service Cross. Among them, stories such as that of how he saved his comrades from a crocodile in New Guinea by shooting it from his plane became one of legend.
On leave in late 1943, Bong met Marjorie Vattendahl whom he would marry. He named his P-38 “Marge” after her and had her photo as nose art. By December 1944, with 40 aerial victories confirmed, Bong was the greatest American ace. General Douglas MacArthur awarded him the Medal of Honor for his “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action above and beyond the call of duty.”
In January 1945, another new turn in Bong’s military career took place as he was dispatched back to the United States to test-fly aircraft for Lockheed Aircraft Corporation. On August 6, 1945, during a test flight of the P-80A Shooting Star, Bong died when his plane malfunctioned.
Major Richard Bong’s memory has been kept alive with many memorials and also by the Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center located in Superior, Wisconsin. His story provides an enduring lesson about how much courage and sacrifice America’s fighter aces demonstrated, all of whom were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal posthumously in 2014 for their service to their country.
For example, Bong’s Medal of Honor citation denotes his volunteering for combat missions after he was assigned to be a gunnery instructor, which just goes to prove how relentlessly on duty he was. His remarkable feats and untimely death on the same day as the bombing of Hiroshima underline how great an influence he had on American military history.