Richard Ira Bong (1920 - 1945)

Born 24 Sep 1920 in Superior, Douglas, Wisconsin, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Marjorie (Vattendahl) Bong — married 10 Feb 1945 (to 6 Aug 1945) in Superior, Wisconsin

Died 6 Aug 1945 at age 24 in North Hollywood, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States

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Biography

Dick Bong is Notable.

Dick Bong was awarded the Medal of Honor.

Dick Bong was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (United States).

Dick Bong was awarded the Silver Star Medal.

Dick Bong was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States).

Dick Bong was awarded the Air Medal.

America's "Ace of Aces," Richard Ira Bong, was born on 24 Sep 1920 in St. Mary's hospital in Superior, Wisconsin. He was the first of nine children born to Carl Bong and Dora Bryce on a farm near the small town of Poplar, Wisconsin, about 20 miles southeast of Superior. Dick's father came to the United States from Sweden at the age of seven and his mother was of Scots-English descent. "Dick" grew up on the family farm and attended the Poplar Grade School. He then attended the Poplar High School, which consisted of only three grades. Consequently, he completed his senior year at the Superior Central High School in 1938 by commuting 44 miles round-trip.

Richard Bong, a recipient of the Medal of Honor, is best known as America's premier "Flying Ace", having been credited with 40 aerial combat victories against enemy Japanese aircraft.

General MacArthur pins a Medal on Dick Bong.

Rank: Major Organization: U.S. Army Company: Division: (Air Corps) Born: Poplar, Wis.Departed: Yes Entered Service At: Poplar, Wis.G.O. Number: 90 Date of Issue: 12/08/1944 Accredited To: Place / Date: Over Borneo and Leyte, 10 October to 15 November 1944 BONG, RICHARD I. Photo MOH Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action above and beyond the call of duty in the Southwest Pacific area from 10 October to 15 November 1944. Though assigned to duty as 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 8 enemy airplanes during this period. [1]

Ironically, after experiencing so much combat action in the Pacific during World War II, he was killed during a test flight of a new jet powered aircraft in 1945 in the US.^[1] The entire nation mourned the loss of the 24 year old Bong. He was given a hero's funeral. Richard is buried in Poplar Cemetery in Poplar, Wisconsin.^[2]

Sources

1. ↑ "California Death Index, 1940-1997," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VPQX-7P2 : 26 November 2014), Richard Ira Bong, 06 Aug 1945; Department of Public Health Services, Sacramento.
2. ↑ "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVVM-MWBD : 10 September 2021), Richard Ira Bong, ; Burial, Poplar, Douglas, Wisconsin, United States of America, Poplar Cemetery; citing record ID 2375, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.

• "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X9QW-DQ2 : accessed 21 September 2021), Richard Bong in household of Carl Bong, Poplar, Douglas, Wisconsin, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 16, sheet 2A, line 28, family 31, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 2570; FHL microfilm 2,342,304.
• "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K7V4-J59 : 10 January 2021), Richard Bong in household of Carl Bong, Poplar, Douglas, Wisconsin, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 16-17, sheet 6B, line 54, family 119, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 4474.

• "United States World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KMXP-PQG : 5 December 2014), Richard I Bong, enlisted 29 May 1941, Wausau, Wisconsin, United States; citing "Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938-1946," database, The National Archives: Access to Archival Databases (AAD) (http://aad.archives.gov : National Archives and Records Administration, 2002); NARA NAID 1263923, National Archives at College Park, Maryland.