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SMSgt James E. Franklin
to remember
Bong, Richard Ira, Maj.
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Contact Info
Home Town Superior
Last Address North Hollywood, CA
Date of Passing Aug 06, 1945
Location of Interment Poplar Cemetery - Poplar, Douglas Co., Wisconsin
Wall/Plot Coordinates Plat I, Block 8, Lot 10, Grave 2
World War II Medal of Honor Recipient. He received the award from General Douglas MacArthur in December 8, 1944, for his actions as a major in the 49th Fighter Group of the US Army Air Corps. He 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. His father was a Swedish immigrant and he grew up on a farm. After high school, he attended Superior State Teachers College (now the University of Wisconsin-Superior) and enrolled in the Civilian Pilot Training Program, and also took private flying lessons.
In May 1941, he enlisted in the US Army Air Corps Aviation Cadet Program and was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant the following year. Following several stateside assignments, he was assigned to the 9th Fighter Squadron at Darwin, Australia flying P-40 Warhawk aircraft. He was then temporarily reassigned to fly missions and gain combat experience with the 39th Fighter Squadron, 35th Fighter group based in Port Moresby, New Guinea, and was credited with shooting down two Japanese aircraft during the Battle of Buna-Gona. Following his promotion to the rank of 1st lieutenant, on July 26, 1943, he shot down four Japanese aircraft and was soon promoted to the rank of captain. On January 26, 1944, he shot down his 26th and 27th Japanese aircraft, which surpassed the American record of 26 set by Eddie Rickenbacker during World War I, and was promoted to the rank of major.
After returning to the US to promote a bond drive, he returned to New Guinea in September 1944. By the following December, he had increased his enemy aircraft kills to 40 while participating in the Philippine Campaign.
In January 1945, he returned to the US and soon became a test pilot for P-80 Shooting Star jet fighters at Lockheed Air Terminal in Burbank, California. On August 6, 1945, while preparing for a test flight, his aircraft crashed on takeoff due to either pilot error or engine malfunction, and he died at the age of 24.
In addition to the Medal of Honor, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star (with one oak leaf cluster), the Distinguished Flying Cross (with six oak leaf clusters), the Air Medal (with two silver stars and two Bronze oak leaf clusters), the American Defense Service Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the Asian-Pacific Campaign Medal (with one Silver star), the World War II Victory Medal, and the Philippine Liberation Medal (with one bronze star).
In 1986, he was posthumously inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame and has several commemorative monuments named in his honor around the world.
His Medal of Honor citation reads: "For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action above and beyond the call of duty in the Southwest Pacific area from October 10, to November 15, 1944. However, assigned to duty as a gunnery instructor and neither required nor expected to perform combat duty, Maj. Bong voluntarily and at his own urgent request, engaged in repeated combat missions, including unusually hazardous sorties over Balikpapan, Borneo, and in the Leyte area of the Philippines. His aggressiveness and daring resulted in his shooting down eight enemy airplanes during this period.
General Orders: War Department, General Orders No. 90, December 8, 1944
Action Date: October 10 - November 15, 1944
Service: Army Air Forces
Rank: Major
Regiment: 49th Fighter Group, V Fighter Command
Division: 5th Air Force.
"Major Richard Bong is still the US Army Air Forces/US Air Forces Ace of Aces with 40 Japanese aircraft to his credit. He shot down most of these aircraft flying a Lockheed P-38 Lightning in the South Pacific.
Station:
Duxford 3 April 1943 to 10 October 1945
Station Callsign:
Rutley
Group Callsign:
Greywall (A Group) to 22 April '44 then Phoenix
Bakehouse (B Group) to 22 April '44 then Slapstick
Boycott (C Group from 23 April '44
Lt. Frank A Fish, Cambridge, IA. 83rd Fighter Squadron. P-47D 42-28636 HL-V "Flying Fish". Lt. Fish seen in cockpit.
Col. Frederick C Gray Jr. Abilene, TX. Group Headquarters. P-51D 44-63279 HL-Z "Mr Ted II"
Lt. Jerry E Brasher, Roswell, NM. 82nd Fighter Squadron. P-47D 42-76585 MX-F "Nice Kitty / Dude"
Maj. Richard A Hewitt. Lewiston NY. 82nd Fighter Squadron. P-51D 44-64147 MX-U "Big Dick". (Big Dick is the craps call for double five).
Lt. Huie H Lamb Jr. Abilene TX. 82nd Fighter Squadron. P-51K 44-11631 MX-V "Etta Jeanne II"
Lt. Anthony A Palopoli. Pittsburgh PA. 83rd Fighter Squadron. P-51D 44-72146 HL-P_ "Little Joe"
The logo forming part of the nose art is that of the 70th Infantry Division "Trail Blazers" with which Lt. Palopoli's brother was serving.
Col Arman Peterson: May 1942 - 1 Jul. 1943, KIA
Lt Col Melvin F. McNickle 12 Jul. 1943 - 30 Jul. 1943, POW
Col James J. Stone: 31 Jul. 1943 - 22 May 1944. (Acting 1 -12 Jul. 43).
Col Frederic C. Gray: 22 May 1944 - 1 Feb. 1945
Lt Col Olin E. Gilbert: 1 Feb. 1945 - 21 Feb. 1945
Col John D. Landers: 22 Feb. 45 - 1 Jul. 45
Lt Col Roy B. Caviness: 1 Jul. 1945 - Oct. 1945
First Mission: 13 Apr. 1943
Last Mission: 25 Apr 1945
Total missions: 450
Aircraft MIA: 167
Claims: Air 338 Ground 358.
Major Awards:
Distinguished Unit Citation:
6-23 Sep. 1944, Holland, Action in support airborne forces.16 Apr. 45. Ground strafing, Czecho-slovakia
Unit Claims to Fame
Produced first 8AF ace-Cpt Charles London.
First triple kill on one mission by VIII FC pilot - Maj Eugene Roberts, 30 Jul. 1943.
Only 8AF group to fly all three main US fighter types, P-38, P-47 and P-51.
First strafing attack by P-47 pilot - Lt Q. L. Brown 30 Jul. 1943.
Brought down first Me262 jet claimed by 8AF - 28 Aug. 1944.
Held record for highest claims of enemy aircraft while strafing - 135 destroyed 16 Apr. 1945.
Early History:
Activated 9 Feb. 1942 at Baer Fd, Ind. Expansion and training at Hamilton Field, CA. in May of 1942 as one of the first groups selected to fly the P-38. Departing Hamilton in Nov. 1942. Sailed from New York on the Queen Elizabeth on the 24 of Nov. 1942.
Subsequent History:
Remained in United Kingdom until Oct. 1945. Aircraft moved to depots for disposal on Sep. 1945. Unit sailed from Southampton on the Queen Mary on the 11 Oct. 1945 and arrived in New York on the 16 Nov. 1945. Inactivated at Camp Kilmer, NJ, 18 Oct. 1945. Reactivated on the 20 Aug. 1946 at Straubing, Germany, by a renumbering of 368 FG. as an occupation force of P-47s. By Jun. 1947 Group disbanded and unit transferred to Mitchel Field, NY. Remained unmanned until Nov. 1948 when rebuilt as F-84 unit at Hamilton AFB, CA. Converted at Hamilton as 78FW and was a part of ADC with F-106 Delta Darts.
April 1943
No Date Mission
1 08/04/1943 Sweep of the Dunkirk-Sangatte Area
2 13/04/1943 Sweep of the St. Amer Area
3 13/04/1943 Sweep of the Berck-Mardyck Area
4 15/04/1943 Sweeps of the Furnes-St. Omer Area
5 17/04/1943 Sweeps of the Bruges-Flushing-Blankenburgh Area
6 17/04/1943 Sweep of the Walcheren-Bruges Area
7 21/04/1943 Sweeps of the Westhoofd-Noordwijk-The Hague Area
8 29/04/1943 Sweep of the Le Touquet-Hazebrouch-Dunkirk-Calais Area
The 78th fighter group made the following claims:
Air Destroyed Air Probable Air Damaged Ground Destroyed Ground Damaged