Richard I. Bong
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The squadron at Det. 925 is named after
Major Richard Ira Bong. He was born in Superior, Wisconsin,on September
24, 1920, the first of nine children of Carl and Dora Bong of Poplar, Wisconsin.
Brought up on a farm, he was educated through grade eleven in the Poplar
State-Graded School, completing his 12th year and graduating from Superior
Central High School.
He enrolled at Superior State College (now University of
Wisconsin-Superior) where he received Civil Aeronautics training and earned
his private pilot's license.
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On May 29,
1941, Bong Joined the Army Air Corps and, following flight training, was
hand-picked by General George C. Kenney to fly one of fifty P-38's under
his command. On September 5, 1942, Bong reported for duty with a fighter
wing in New Guinea, and from 1942 to 1944 he shot down 40 enemy aircraft
and became the leading American air ace of all time.
Withdrawn
from the Pacific theater by General Kenney, he was assigned to Burbank,
California, as a test pilot for Lockheed Aircraft. On August 6, 1945, the
same day the atomic age was unleashed at Hiroshima, Bong was killed in
the P-80 Shooting Star when his aircraft crashed on the take-off roll.
He was buried in the Poplar Cemetery August 8.
Major Bong
wore the following ribbons and medals: Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service
Cross, Silver Star with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross
with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Medal with 12 Oak Leaf Clusters, Pre-Pearl
Harbor Ribbon, American Defense Ribbon, Asiatic-Pacific Ribbon with 2 battle
stars, Presidential Citation, and Distinguished Air Medal From Britain.
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