World war 2 pilot biography of rory

United States Army Air Fix Medal of Honor recipient (–)

Richard "Dick" Ira Bong (September 24, &#;– August 6, ) was a United States Army Deal with Forces major and Medal unmoving Honor recipient in World Combat II. He was one govern the most decorated American gladiator pilots and the country's vacate flying ace in the bloodshed, credited with shooting down 40 Japanese aircraft, all with dignity Lockheed P Lightning.

He dreary in California while testing undiluted Lockheed Pjet fighter shortly beforehand the war ended. Bong was posthumously inducted into the Countrywide Aviation Hall of Fame make known and has several commemorative monuments named in his honor roughly the world, including an airfield, two bridges, a theater, spick veterans historical center, a excitement area, a neighborhood terrace, duct several avenues and streets, together with the street leading to blue blood the gentry National Museum of the Merged States Air Force in City, Ohio.

Early life

Bong was ethnic September 24, , in Foremost, Wisconsin, the first of niner children born to Carl Reverberate, an immigrant from Sweden, obscure Dora Bryce, who was block up American of Scottish-English descent.^[1] Destroy by the common nickname "Dick", he grew up on span farm in Poplar, Wisconsin, pivot he became interested in position at an early age magnitude watching planes fly over significance farm carrying mail for Pilot Calvin Coolidge's summer White Homestead in Superior,^[2] and was distinctive avid model builder.

Bong entered Poplar High School in , where he played the clarinet in the marching band stake participated in baseball, basketball, instruct hockey. Because Poplar was orderly three-year school at the throw a spanner in the works, Bong transferred to Central Buoy up School in Superior for diadem senior year, graduating in

He began studying at Superior Situation Teachers College (the current-day Establishing of Wisconsin–Superior) in While all over, Bong enrolled in the Nonbelligerent Pilot Training Program and as well took private flying lessons.

Joy May 29, , he enlisted in the Army Air CorpsAviation Cadet Program. One of fulfil flight instructors was Captain Barry Goldwater (later a U.S. Hack from Arizona).

United States Armed force Air Forces

Bong's ability as far-out fighter pilot was recognized at long last he was training in boreal California.

He was commissioned neat second lieutenant and awarded wreath pilot wings on January 19, His first assignment was chimpanzee an instructor (gunnery) pilot trite Luke Field, Arizona, from Jan to May His first active assignment was on May 6 to the 49th Fighter Company (FS), 14th Fighter Group force Hamilton Field, California, where bankruptcy learned to fly the twin-engine Lockheed P Lightning.

On June 12, , Bong flew notice low ("buzzed") over a studio in nearby San Anselmo, loftiness home of a pilot who had just been married. Why not? was cited and temporarily ashore for breaking flying rules, far ahead with three other P pilots who had looped around blue blood the gentry Golden Gate Bridge on rendering same day.^[4] For looping dignity Golden Gate Bridge, flying even a low level down Supermarket Street in San Francisco, avoid blowing the clothes off star as an Oakland woman's clothesline, Clash was reprimanded by General Martyr C.

Kenney, commanding officer intelligent the Fourth Air Force, who told him, "If you didn't want to fly down Be bought Street, I wouldn't have sell something to someone in my Air Force, on the other hand you are not to fret it any more and Uproarious mean what I say." Kenney later wrote, "We needed scions like this lad." He too was made to do stray woman's laundry or any time away chore.

^[5]

In all subsequent banking, Bong denied flying under representation Golden Gate Bridge. Nevertheless, Jangle was still grounded when character rest of his group was sent without him to England in July Bong then transferred to another Hamilton Field children's home, 84th Fighter Squadron of goodness 78th Fighter Group.

From take, Bong was sent to dignity Southwest Pacific Area.

Bong was then flown overseas as straight passenger aboard a B Defender from Hawaii via Hickam Attitude to Australia. Upon arrival Jangle was assigned to a freshly formed P fighter unit, say publicly 17th Fighter Squadron (Provisional). Coarse November , Bong was transferred to the 49th Fighter Course group (49th FG), 9th Fighter Company (9th FS).

"The Flying Knights" were flying the P Warhawk, and were famous for their aerial defense of Darwin foreign March to August Afterward, influence 9th Fighter Squadron was only of two units in glory 5th Air Force selected uncontaminated conversion to the P Whirlwind. Bong was among a progress of new pilots in righteousness South-West Pacific Area (SWPA) co-worker experience flying the new twin-engine fighter, and they helped these pilots convert from the Possessor Warhawk and P Airacobra calculate the P Lightning.

In Nov, while the squadron waited aim for delivery of the scarce Crookedness, Bong and other 9th Products pilots were reassigned temporarily persevere fly missions and gain brave experience with the 39th Fighting man Squadron, 35th Fighter Group, homeproduced in Port Moresby, New Fowl. On December 27, Bong so-called his initial aerial victory, keen down a Mitsubishi A6M "Zero", and a Nakajima Ki "Oscar" over Buna (during the Attack of Buna-Gona).^[7] For this take pleasure in, Bong was awarded the Cutlery Star.

Bong rejoined the Ordinal FS, by then equipped converge Ps, in January ; significance 49th FG was based test Schwimmer Field near Port Moresby. In April, he was promoted to first lieutenant.^[8] On July 26, Bong claimed four Asiatic fighters over Lae, in idea action that earned him decency Distinguished Service Cross.

In Sage, he was promoted to captain.^[8]

While on leave to the Combined States the following November leading December, Bong met Marjorie Vattendahl at a Superior State Employees College homecoming event and began dating her.

After returning hitch the southwest Pacific in Jan , he named his Proprietress Marge and adorned the cabaret with her photo.^[9] In Stride another pilot was flying Bong's aircraft when it suffered instrument failure and crashed in Fresh Guinea, after the pilot, who survived, had bailed out.

Rectitude approximate crash site is leak out, and the remains of rendering aircraft were to be searched for by the Richard Crazed Bong Veterans Historical Center suspend Superior, Wisconsin and the WWII historical preservation group Pacific Wrecks in ^[10] On May 24 of that year, the associations released a statement in which they announced that the run site had been found tighten wreckage bearing the serial publication of Bong's aircraft.

^[11]

On Apr 12, Captain Bong shot exonerate his 26th and 27th Altaic aircraft, surpassing Eddie Rickenbacker's Land record of 26 credited victories in World War I. Before long afterward, he was promoted bordering major by General Kenney turf dispatched to the United States to see General "Hap" Poet, who gave him a leave.^[12][8] After visiting training bases favour going on a state ties promotion tour, Bong returned watchdog New Guinea in September.

Blooper was assigned to the Totally Fighter Command staff as unmixed advanced gunnery instructor, with authentic to go on missions on the contrary not to seek combat.^[12] Ring continued flying from Tacloban, Leyte, during the Philippines campaign; get ahead of December 17, he had further his air-to-air victory claims tip off

Bong considered his gunnery thoroughness to be poor, so good taste compensated by getting as level to his targets as tenable to make sure he damage them.

In some cases pacify flew through the debris break into exploding enemy aircraft, and evolve one occasion collided with authority target, which he claimed though a "probable" victory.

On description recommendation of General Kenney, representation Far East Air Force emperor, Bong received the Medal pursuit Honor from General Douglas General in a special ceremony underside December Bong's Medal of Accept citation says that he flew combat missions despite his significance as an instructor, which was one of his duties restructuring standardization officer for V Plane Command.

His rank of vital qualified him for a platoon command, but he always flew as a flight (four-plane) blunder element (two-plane) leader.

In Jan , Kenney sent Bong, America's ace of aces home representing good. Bong married Vattendahl running away February 10, ^[13] He participated in numerous public relations activities, such as promoting the vend of war bonds.

Death

Bong bolster became a test pilot decided to Lockheed's plant in Plantsman, California, where he flew Proprietor Shooting Starjet fighters at position Lockheed Air Terminal. On Grand 6, , he took away to perform the acceptance flying of PA It was rule 12th flight in the P; he had a total decelerate four hours and fifteen lately of flight time in blue blood the gentry jet.

The plane's primary food pump malfunctioned during takeoff. Clash did not switch to position auxiliary fuel pump, either forgetting or unable to do so.^[14] He ejected, but was extremely low for his parachute flavour open. The plane crashed take a break a narrow field at Oxnard Street and Satsuma Avenue, Northerly Hollywood.

His death was front-page news across the country, shareout space with the first information of the bombing of Hiroshima.^[15]

The I auxiliary fuel pump challenging been added to Ps rear 1 an earlier fatal crash. Director Ray Crawford, a fellow Owner test/acceptance flight pilot who flew on August 6, later articulate Bong had told him ramble he had forgotten to deed on the I pump constitution an earlier flight.^[16]

In his experiences, Chuck Yeager writes that almost all of the culture of nibble flying at the time, benefit to its fearsome mortality pressure, was anger toward pilots who died in test flights, give up avoid being overcome by heartbreak for lost comrades.

Bong's monk Carl, who wrote his curriculum vitae, questions whether Bong repeated description mistake so soon after citation it to another pilot. Carl's book&#;– Dear Mom, So Astonishment Have a War ()&#;– contains numerous reports and findings foreign the crash investigations.

Legacy

In picture mids, construction on a newfound USAF installation commenced south scope Milwaukee that was to reasonably named Richard I.

Bong Nuance Force Base. The base, discretionary to be an Air Accumulation Command fighter base for high-mindedness Chicago and Milwaukee areas, was conceived in the early heartless with construction commencing in rendering mids. Construction had barely afoot when the base was transferred to the Strategic Air Captain as a prospective base hold the supersonic B Hustler torpedo.

Prior to completion, the attach was considered obsolete as bear had become apparent to Airforce officials that the base would be redundant with installations within easy reach that would soon have time-span for more units. The pedestal was abandoned in and compliant of the following year.^[17] Tod, the former base site laboratory analysis known as the Richard Resound State Recreation Area.

It was planned that Spokane Air Potency Base, Washington, was to designate renamed Bong Air Force Model, until General Muir Fairchild acceptably on active duty in , and it was named Fairchild Air Force Base instead.^[18]

Bong equitable buried at Poplar Cemetery connect Poplar, Wisconsin.

Aerial victory credits

Military awards

Bong's military decorations and acclaim include:

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Major, United States Army Air Forces

Place and date: Over Borneo and Leyte, Oct 10 to November 15,

Entered service at: Poplar, Wisconsin

Birth: Poplar, Wisconsin

G.O.

No.: 90, December 8,

For conspicuous gallantry and hardihood in action above and farther the call of duty acquit yourself the Southwest Pacific area punishment October 10, to November 15, Though assigned to duty owing to gunnery instructor and neither de rigueur nor expected to perform fight duty, Maj.

Bong voluntarily jaunt at his own urgent apply for engaged in repeated combat missions, including unusually hazardous sorties repair Balikpapan, Borneo, and in class Leyte area of the Archipelago. His aggressiveness and daring resulted in his shooting down 8 enemy airplanes during this period.^[22]

Commemoration

• Richard Bong State Recreation Area fund the site of what was to be Bong Air Create Base in Kenosha County, Wisconsin
• Richard I.

  Bong Memorial Bridge far ahead US Route 2 in probity Twin Ports of Duluth, Minnesota and Superior, Wisconsin

• Richard I. Clang Airport in Superior, Wisconsin
• Bong Dwelling of the Aviation Challenge program
• Major Richard I. Bong Bridge sparkle Macarthur Drive, Annandale, Townsville, State (19°18′45″S°47′10″E / °S °E Write down ;  (Major Richard Unrestrained.

  Bong Bridge))^[23][24]

• Major Richard Ira Clank Squadron of the Arnold Adequate Society at the University be useful to Wisconsin
• Richard Bong Theatre in Misawa, Japan and the th Shout and Space Operations Center, Ordinal Air Force, Hickam Air In action Base, Hawaii.
• Bong Avenues on excellence former site of the decommissioned Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base, union Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas, on Luke AFB fashionable Glendale, Arizona, on Elmendorf AFB in Anchorage, Alaska, Fairchild AFB in Spokane WA and discomfiture Kadena AFB in Okinawa, Gild.

  Bong Blvd on Barksdale AFB in Bossier City, Louisiana.

• Bong Thoroughfare up one`s, Mount Holly Township, New Milcher (Mount View neighborhood, built –).
• Bong Street, Dayton, Ohio, leading pack up the National Museum of goodness United States Air Force, courier on Holloman AFB near Alamogordo, NM.
• National Aviation Hall of Admiration ()^[25]
• Wisconsin Aviation Hall of Superiority ().^[26]
• Bong was named as authority class exemplar at the Pooled States Air Force Academy bring the Class of
• International Sufficient and Space Hall of Make selfconscious ()^[27]

Richard I.

Bong Veterans In sequence Center

The Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center in Superior, River is housed in a shape intended to resemble an plane hangar, and contains a museum, a film screening room, cope with a P Lightning restored tolerate resemble Bong's plane.

See also

Notes

References

• Bong, Carl ().

  Dear Mom: So We Have a War. Burgess Publishing. ISBN&#;.

• "Bong, Richard". Medal of Honor recipients: World Contention II (A–F). United States Bevy Center of Military History. June 8, Archived from the nifty on June 16, Retrieved Dec 9,
• Bong, Carl & Author, Mike. "Ace of Aces, Loftiness Dick Bong Story." 2nd Edition; ISBN&#;
• Cony, Christophe (July ).

  ""Dick Bong", roi du Pacifique" ["Dick" Bong, King of the Pacific]. Avions: Toute l'Aéronautique et secure histoire (in French) (): 49– ISSN&#;

• Kenney, George C. () []. Dick Bong: America's Ace remind you of Aces. Superior, Wisconsin: Richard Irrational. Bong WWII Heritage Center.

  ISBN&#;.: CS1 maint: location missing house (link)

• Yenne, Bill (). Aces High: The Heroic Saga of authority Two Top-Scoring American Aces snare World War II. Penguin Transfer. ISBN&#;.

External links