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Casualty Info
Home Town Arlington, Virginia
Last Address Telergma Airfield, Algeria
Casualty Date May 19, 1943
Cause MIA-Finding of Death
Reason Air Loss, Crash - Sea
Location Mediterranean Sea
Conflict World War II
Location of Interment North Africa American Cemetery - Tunis, Tunisia
First Mission: 2 Oct 1942
Last Mission: 21 Oct 1942
MIA: No combat losses
Early History:
Activated 15 January 1941at Hamilton field, California. They moved to March Field in California in early June 1941, and back again to Hamilton Field on the 7th of February 1942 to recieve P-38s. The Ground echelon departed 16 July 1942 on the first stage of the movement to England. They sailed on the USS West Point in early August 1942, and arrived in Liverpool on 17th Aug 1942. The air echelon departed to Bradley Field Conn. on July 1st 1942. They flew P-38s to the United Kingdom via the nortern ferry route. The first aircraft departed Presque Isle on 22 July 1942. The 50th Fighter Squadron remained in Iceland and did not rejoin the Group. The ground echelon at Atcham later transfered to the 4th Fighter Group. The 14th Flew sweeps and practice missions under the Royal Air Force's guidance from Ford, and Tangmere.
Subsequent History:
Assigned to the 12th Air Force, XII Fighter Command on the 14th of September 1942, but continued to operate under VIII Fighter Command. The Ground echelon left Atcham on the 30th of October 1942, and sailed on the USS Brazil and USS Uruguay from Liverpool and arrived in Oran on the 10th of November 1942. The air echelon departed for Portreath on the 6th of November 1942, and flew to North Africa from the 10th to the 14th of November 1942. They fought with the 12th Air Force in North Africa and later with the 15th Air Force in Italy on bomber escort duties.The 14th fighter group was a unit of the Air Defense Command in the post war years. In 1966 the designation was given to a special operations wing in Vietnam.
Maj. Richard I. Bong - Medal of Honor
Nickname "Ace of Aces"
"Bing" Bong
Dick Bong
Awards Medal of Honor
Distinguished Service Cross
Silver Star (2)
Distinguished Flying Cross (7)
Air Medal (15)
Constituted as 14th Pursuit Group (Fighter) on 20 Nov 1940. Activated on 15 Jan 1941. Trained with P-40's and P-43's. Converted to P-38's, which were used in flying patrols on the west coast of the US after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Redesignated 14th Fighter Group in May 1942. Moved to England, Jul-Aug 1942. Began operations with Eighth AF in Oct 1942, escorting bombers to targets in France. Arrived in North Africa shortly after the campaign for Algeria and French Morocco (8-11 Nov 1942) had ended, and remained in the Mediterranean theater until the end of the war, being assigned first to Twelfth AF and later (Nov 1943) to Fifteenth. Flew escort, strafing, and reconnaissance missions from the middle of Nov 1942 to late in Jan 1943 and then withdrew from combat, some of the men and planes being reassigned. Resumed operations in May. Flew dive-bombing missions during the Allied assault on Pantelleria. Helped prepare for and support the invasions of Sicily and Italy. Engaged primarily in escort work after Nov 1943, flying many missions to cover bombers engaged in long-range operations against strategic objectives in Italy, France, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Rumania, and Bulgaria. Received a DUC for a mission on 2 Apr 1944 when the group, by beating off attacks by enemy fighters, enabled bombers to strike important ball-bearing works in Austria. Also provided escort for reconnaissance operations, supported the invasion of Southern France in Aug 1944, and on numerous occasions flew long-range missions to strafe and dive-bomb motor vehicles, trains, bridges, supply areas, airdromes, and troop concentrations in an area extending from France to the Balkans. Inactivated in Italy on 9 Sep 1945.
Activated in the US on 20 Nov 1946. Equipped first with P-47's and later with F-84's. Inactivated on 2 Oct 1949.
Redesignated 14th Fighter Group (Air Defense). Activated on 18 Aug 1955. Assigned to Air Defense Command and equipped with F-86 aircraft.
CAMPAIGNS:
Air Combat, EAME Theater; Air Offensive, Europe; Tunisia; Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Rome-Arno; Normandy; Northern France; Southern France; North Apennines; Rhineland; Central Europe; Po Valley.
DECORATIONS:
Distinguished Unit Citation: Austria, 2 Apr 1944.
INSIGNE:
Shield: Per bend argent and sable. Motto: To Fight To Death. (Approved 17 Jun 1942.)
