21 Facts About Richard Bong

Richard Ira "Dick" Bong was a United States Army Air Forces major and Medal of Honor recipient in World War II.

Richard Bong 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.

Richard Bong died in California while testing a Lockheed P-80 jet fighter shortly before the war ended.

Richard Bong was born September 24,1920, in Superior, Wisconsin, the first of nine children born to Carl Richard Bong, an immigrant from Sweden, and Dora Bryce, who was an American of Scottish-English descent.

Richard Bong entered Poplar High School in 1934, where he played the clarinet in the marching band and participated in baseball, basketball, and hockey.

Richard Bong began studying at Superior State Teachers College in 1938.

Richard Bong was commissioned a second lieutenant and awarded his pilot wings on January 19,1942.

On June 12,1942, Richard Bong flew very low over a house in nearby San Anselmo, the home of a pilot who had just been married.

Richard Bong was cited and temporarily grounded for breaking flying rules, along with three other P-38 pilots who had looped around the Golden Gate Bridge on the same day.

Nevertheless, Richard Bong was still grounded when the rest of his group was sent without him to England in July 1942.

Richard Bong then transferred to another Hamilton Field unit, 84th Fighter Squadron of the 78th Fighter Group.

Richard Bong was then flown overseas as a passenger aboard a B-24 Liberator from Hawaii via Hickam Field to Australia.

Richard Bong was among a group of new pilots in the South-West Pacific Area with experience flying the new twin-engine fighter, and they helped these pilots convert from the P-40 Warhawk and P-39 Airacobra to the P-38 Lightning.

Richard Bong rejoined the 9th FS, by then equipped with P-38s, in January 1943; the 49th FG was based at Schwimmer Field near Port Moresby.

Richard Bong was assigned to the V Fighter Command staff as an advanced gunnery instructor, with permission to go on missions but not to seek combat.

Richard Bong considered his gunnery accuracy to be poor, so he compensated by getting as close to his targets as possible to make sure he hit them.

Richard Bong participated in numerous public relations activities, such as promoting the sale of war bonds.

Richard Bong then became a test pilot assigned to Lockheed's plant in Burbank, California, where he flew P-80 Shooting Star jet fighters at the Lockheed Air Terminal.

Richard Bong did not switch to the auxiliary fuel pump, either forgetting or unable to do so.

Richard Bong ejected, but was too low for his parachute to open.

Richard Bong's death was front-page news across the country, sharing space with the first news of the bombing of Hiroshima.