I think we should all take a moment and recognize the epicness of Dick Bong's name. That's an All-Time name right there, and it deserves to be remembered.
My dad witnessed Maj. Bong shoot down a Japanese Zero in the Philippines. As my dad would say, "he blew him out of the sky." Bong flew back over the US Base, upside down, after the shooting down the Zero, saluting the soldiers on the ground, then pulled up and performed several 360's as he climbed in his P-38. My dad never forgot that moment and referred to it often during his life. He never met Maj. Bong but talked about him often. My dad kept a model of the P-38 on his desk.
My family and I lived in Duluth, Minnesota 1957-1962. When we drove to Michigan for summer vacation, we passed through Poplar, Wisconsin. My father stopped our car so we could see the P-38 mounted on a pedestal in honor of Major Dick Bong. I read the tribute to America's ace of aces. I marveled at the streamlined beauty of the twin engined fighter plane. The Lockheed P-38 Lightning became my all time favorite WWII fighter aircraft. I have read that the day he died, Major Bong was scheduled to either eat lunch or play golf with Bob Hope. Not sure if that is true or not. Dick Bong deserves to be remembered. Thank you History Guy! This is your best episode ever!
I grew up in Bong's hometown (Poplar, WI). We were taught his story from a young age. Such a fantastic and tragic story for a simple farm boy from Northern Wisco. I was always disappointed to never see him featured in a documentary or on the History Channel so I greatly appreciate you making this video.
I moved to Wisconsin in the early 80's to attend college. It was then that I learned about Major Bong and his fascinating life. So sad he had to die so young!
Where you been think I saw him on AHC channel, Maguire and the other of the top three overall aces flew 38s. Been reading and hearing bout him and the others for a while in the " two planes one pilot"
Superior Wisconsin name a bridge in his name, The Bong Bridge. It was built long after the High Bridge was built so there was a little protest from people who were unaware of who Bong was
P-38 Lightning was a plane that is iconic in its design, performance, firepower and esthetics. Overshadowed by later designs.. the plane was a great achievement and the pilots were the cherry on top. As an Aussie we don't really appreciate the sacrifice and legacy of US for Australias prosperity. Thanks to our US allies for past, present and future support. Lest We Forget.
@@jacquesblaque7728 guessing your name is a non-deplume or you're truly cursed by your parents? So you work as: A) public employee. B) Doctor, lawyer or advocate C) teacher / lecturer. D) CCP/MSS Shill?
My father was a forward observer in New Guinea. He knew Major Bong and told me stories of how he used to call him in for the airstrikes and how they would talk to one another on the radio while on missions. I had no idea how famous he was until I visited the Dayton Air Museum and found a display there of him. Like many war veterans, my dad rarely spoke of the war, but this was one of the things he told me about. Thanks for the video.
As a warbird fan as well as a fan of the blokes that flew them, thank you for another great bit of history. Suggestion ; Try looking into Clive Caldwell, an Australian WWII fighter pilot who was an Ace five or six times over. He served in the Middle East and later in the South Pacific against the Japanese and because he traded whisky and gin with the yanks for ammo, fuel, and other necessities to carry on the fight he was demoted back to a Flight Lieutenant and received no recognition for his efforts.
Thank you for posting this video, Major Richard Bong is my cousin three times removed. As a child, my grandpa met Richard and took a photo with him because my great grandma used to babysit Richard when he was little. I feel as though Richard isn't really talked about often due to his unfortunate early death, so he never had the opportunity to tell his tales and legacy like many other aces who overshadow him. It really is a privilege to be related to him, even if I am just a distant cousin. Richard has always been someone I look up to.
My mom worked with Maj Bong while he was assigned to Lockheed flying the P-80. She was a secretary for the commander of the USAAF office at the Burbank plant. She said Maj Bong was always friendly and modest, you'd never think he was America's greatest ace by talking with him, just an all American farm boy. The office was devastated by his crash in the P-80. Like everyone working at Lockheed Burbank, she also had great respect for Milo Burcham, another terrible loss. With today's highly reliable FADEC controlled engines, it's hard to remember just how temperamental those early jet engines were.
I'm a bit perplexed at how they wanted to keep him alive, so they took him out of combat and he ended up in one of the only non-combat jobs that probably had a higher chance of killing him.
I live on Minnesota's North Shore, forty miles from Superior, WI and this is the most I have ever heard anyone speak about this great man's life. Thank you!
@@WALTERBROADDUS I came to write that. If only the "run of the mill American" was as proud of their vets and history as they are of their 2nd ammendment. Fortunately, there are social media platforms these days for videos like this; and historians like The History Guy that thoroughly enjoy keeping - and in cases like this, almost giving a rebirth to the legacy these legends helped to afford us all. I am Canadian, and typically stay away from politics as it bears very little weight in our day to day lives (unlike most countries these days) But even with the sickening after effects of the 2 nukes, I am still proud to say 'we' were on the same team. (We also tend to talk about wars worth fighting - WW1&2 - the rest is a sad story that is frankly embarrassing) as if we are all on the same team. 'Allied force' where Americans tend to say US this and that and like the rest of us together were the USA's partner lol Know what I mean? LoL America tried to stay out of the war (WW2 - which I can respect all day) and weren't part of it (besides materials, supplies and whatnot) for years. So I can see the separation, but if you look at it that way, the Allies would be the main team and USA the partner lol Like I said, we were all on the same team. Even if you came late to the party haha Let's face it, if you faught in either war.. you are either a hero or a psychopath. Doesn't even matter what team you're fighting for or what country you hail from. We ALL did some pretty bad shit that wouldn't fly today. (This is by no means Nazi or Imperial sympathy, in case anyone got that vibe - just facts) Here's hoping the world doesn't see another war like either of those and countries start minding their own business and focus on defense.. not offense. Life would be better for everyone. I would never join the military unless we were under threat of attack. I couldn't be sent to a war that shouldn't be happening to be potentially killed for causes I disagree with (if I was even told the real reason..) and live with myself after. This is why Canada doesn't have a massive military, nobody wants to hurt us.. we don't go rob ppl. So we don't need it. If something came up and it was required, we would have a formidable military as we have every other time we needed one. (Please don't come at me with some ridiculous Canada is protected by the USA bs.. still the same team, guys... still the same team.. lol Not to mention the US army couldn't take a fort from a handful of Frenchman - confident as ever though "as easy as marching in there" ok then lol Then we promptly burned down the Whitehouse, but that's just funny to me. Not an attack on the US army. You guys kick ass, just gotta learn to kick the right asses.
I am truly floored by the sheer volume of HIGH QUALITY contact you're able to produce. This channel is an extremely valuable body of work, every single one of your videos is fascinating and thought-provoking
Agreed! Definitely one of the top history channels on the internet. I could spend hours watching his videos. If I w as a teacher I would show his videos every Friday or Monday. The man makes history interesting which is a bit of rare skill along historians.
The parallels of Maj. Bong and GySgt Basilone are uncanny. Men who have given every measure of themselves and come out on top. Chosen to spread their immense knowledge and experience to keep others alive in a training environment….but they feel they must do it themselves. Truly the greatest generation.
What a brave young man. He died younger than three of my five children. I can’t imagine the loss of such a person. Of all the honors he received, the best we can give is to keep him alive in history lessons. Thank you, THG for doing that!
@@whiterabbit-wo7hw I didn’t explain myself well… our five children are thankfully still living. What I meant to say was that the young man in this video died at an age younger than three of our children currently are. I can’t imagine this happening to one of them!
@@tomh6183 I didn’t explain myself well… our five children are thankfully still living. What I meant to say was that the young man in this video died at an age younger than three of our children currently are. I can’t imagine this happening to one of them is what I should have written!
There is a Bong recreation area just north of the Illinois/Wisconsin state line off I-94. It was always a point of interest for frequent travelers between Milwaukee and Chicago, now we know.
The answer is actually what you may have initially thought- it’s weed related. Bong’s grandfather changed his name on 4/20/1865. He was from Jamaica, queens and known as the “”Stoned Wall.” He smoked a native plant through his repeating rifle.
As a retired USAF pilot I first got interested in flying from my dad who was in the Army Air Corp during WWII…..as a small child I remember him telling me about Major Bong and how brave he was……but in my 30 years in the AF I don’t recall anyone talking about him.
I personally witnessed one of the last flying P-38 lightning crash and killed the pilot due to unfamiliarity of the aircraft and engines. This was in 1975,, Lafayette, Louisiana. Beautifully decked out in camouflage by the “Confederate Airforce” in Harlingen, Tx. She was called “The Scatterbrain Kid”.
I'm an Infantry Veteran but when I heard you state all his awards I must admit I teared up!! The man was the most modest of Legends!! May he RIP, what an absolute hero!!
There was a recent book (I think it's called 'The Race of Aces') about the SoPac USAAF fighter pilots 'competing' to become the top ace. Dick Bong had a hard time of it. Due to his success he was promoted and on one mission a couple of his wingmen were shot down and killed. He begged to be allowed to fly alone, so he wouldn't have other men's lives in his hands. Also, later he was flying a mission with Tommy Lynch (a very popular and successful P38 pilot, whom the rest of the squadron JUST worshipped); Lynch was shot down and killed by flak so when Bong came back alone, he was VERY disliked by the rest of the squadron.
Well... "fighter jocks" were about to be pushed beyond that for the Space Race. All these guys thought it was going to be that other guy who got whacked. Both US Army and US Navy Air arms and Aviators were the best on Earth on or about 1945 and every one of them "knew it"(oversexed, overpaid and over here!) Coming in for the Bronze medal at #3 was US Marine Corps Aviation. Interesting story about helicopter aviation and the US Coast Guard which is indeed "History worth" well, more than just remembering but in fact *"RECALLING."*
I read about Richard Bong in the early '70's while in Junior High. I recall one account of his flying skill where He would pull power back on one engine and goose the other to facilitate tighter turns in a Dog Fight. Driving it like a tractor (braking one wheel) must've worked.
..I've heard Tommy McGuire used those tactics, also..in fact, some accounts say that he was doing some such maneuver at very low altitude in combat, and stalled, and the reason he crashed and died in the dogfight...
Brave man , sad story . So much life ahead for the young married couple . True definition of giving life for country . Those early P 38's were "widow makers " I read a story were Mr. Bong himself lost control of his Lighting and luckily he was able to recover the plane as it was in an uncontrollable dive . A lot of P 38 pilots lost their life when that plane did that . Later versions were modified to get rid of that and other "bugs" the Lighting had . Good thing Charles Lindbergh took an intrest in making it better .
Correct. From "Aviation History": "The P-38 suffered from two different problems, tail flutter and compressibility. Compressibility could tear the tail off the P-38 and this phenomenon was common to all high-speed fighters. Both P-47 Thunderbolts and P-51 Mustangs lost tails during high-speed dives. Compressibility caused buffeting on the P-38, not flutter."
Race of Aces is an Excellent book and highlights the numerous challenges the pilots in the SW Pacific theater faced. Great profiles of Bong, Tommy Lynch, Neal Kirby, Tommy McGuire & Charles MacDonald. I highly recommend it.
Expat Pom living in Australia remembers reading of Dick Bong in Wings magazine of the 1970s, his story stuck in my mind. Thank you for taking the time to remind people of this marvelous pilot.
The pride of Wisconsin. There is a park named in his honor outside of LaCrosse. Sadly the signs for the park are constantly being stolen as the park is named Bong Recreation Area.
Very true I've never been the recreation area but driven past it multiple times on the interstate, I wonder if a plaque or something stating who Maj. Bong was and what he did might evoke a little more respect by the would be vandals just looking for a souvenir for the silly drug reference. Sad though.
I lived in that area, when in high school. There was always talk about and attempts at grabbing the sign, "Bong Recreation Area". I don't see it as disrespectful to the hero Ira Bong. Just dopey kids.
The statistic about the contribution of aces is facinating; Mr. Churchill's words 'Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few' are apt to describe the contribution of fighter pilots across that war.
I’ve known about Dick Bong since I was 12 hrs old and read all I could about him. My favorite tv show of course was Baa Baa Black Sheep. Watched every episode. I do remember one episode where they paid homage to Bong and the P-38. I still loved the corsair more of course. I never knew he was only 24 when he died. Just think, he could have easily been a Yeager or Glenn. You have surpassed these great men in importance by being one to keep their memories and achievements alive. Please keep it up. 24 years old. I had no clue. Never thought about that. Salute to you and all of the men and women that came before us.
As much as I admire Bong, I'd rather see a film on McGuire. He seemed more complicated as a person and, if contemporary accounts are accurate, borderline unlikeable. I think his life would make a more interesting story.
I knew of Major Bong but never heard the story of him picking off that alligator with a 20mm round. No wonder he needed to fly a fighter with two engines...needed the extra horsepower to carry those huge brass balls of his :)
Another great story you may consider covering is that of “Butch” O’Hare, whom Chicago’s airport is named after. I read his story to my extended family when we got together on Memorial Day and was surprised when they all said they had never heard of him before
Tim, thanks for your informative comment. Without really thinking about it I'd always assumed that the person after whom O'Hare airport was named was some politician or other, like LaGuardia in New York or Lester B Pearson Airport in Toronto.
There was a period during the New Guinea campaign when Bong (Ace #1) teamed up unofficially with Tommy McGuire (Ace #2) while flying out of Nichols Field (I think.) My Dad was ground echelon (armorer and fuel) and was one of those who serviced the planes of both men. He had photos of both planes in his album and him with Bong. I got the feeling he liked both Bong and McGuire. The Smithsonian has one of the planes Bong flew as a test pilot, a modified P-38. Something went badly wrong during one flight but both he and the plane survived.
Wisconsin legend! When you drive to Milwaukee from Chicago you will inevitably encounter the Bong Recreational Area, and people are always floored to find out that the guy with, objectively, the funniest name in American military history is also a bona fide national hero.
As a Wisconsinite born and raised, love and appreciate this episode. Thank you so much. Truly exceptional individual. His contributions to our country and those he served with can’t be overstated!
When I was a hippie kid back in the 70s, we used to laugh about the Bong Recreation Area off I-94 between Chicago and Milwaukee. But when I actually stopped there once, I discovered why it had this unusual name. I was already a total history nut by that point, but this chance discovery led to many more over the years, and not just in books, not just in America. Some of these discoveries were not so uplifting or nice, either. One time, off on a hike outside the sleepy little town in Germany where I lived for a while (Balingen), I came across a small plaque on a stone that I had passed by many times without noticing. Clearing the dirt off to read the inscription, I was horrified to learn that this beautiful, quiet little town with less than 30,000 inhabitants when I lived there, 40 years after the war, was a very busy place during all 12 years of the 3rd Reich. It was part of Unternehmen „Wüste“ (Operation Desert), the synthetic fuel project that used shale deposits to help run the German war machine. It was also part of the massive project to "resettle" the Slavic lands invaded by the Wehrmacht, from Czechoslovakia to Russia. Its third infamous activity was the building of a defensive wall along the nearby French border (a project obviated by the conquest of France in 1940.) All of these projects used slave labor, initially German Jews, intellectuals and other such undesirables, but after September of 1939 a steady stream of unfortunates from all over Nazi-controlled Europe were consumed by these various projects. The number of victims who died there is unknown to this day, an unusual phenomenon considering the German penchant for record-keeping. One historian I spoke with speculated that this might be because a) some of these projects were either top secret and/or of a "sensitive" nature and b) because it was one of the first areas that the newly reconstituted French Army rolled into in 1945, only to discover that in addition to all the other activities, there was also an internment camp for French soldiers captured in the 1940 invasion, and in the process of hastily converting it into an internment camp for local Germans who had worked especially enthusiastically with the various Nazi projects, much was destroyed, either out of rage or accidentally. When I asked my friends who had grown up and lived in the area their whole lives how it was possible that so much evil had been perpetrated in one small town, one of them, a guy I was particularly close to and a fellow history buff told me the following: "You know that history is beneath your feet wherever you go, right? Well, maybe this will put what happened in Balingen in some perspective for you. Even at its zenith, Greater Germany was still only about the size of Texas. Well, there weren't just the massive, notorious concentration camps, most of which were in the East. In Germany alone there were something like 10,000 smaller camps and forced labor operations, etc, some of which were quite small. If you know where to look, you can't go 10 miles on any direction without stumbling across some sort of installation or camp. In many ways, all of Germany was one giant concentration camp. That's why I hate it whenever I hear another German say we didn't know what the Nazis were doing--those bastards were everywhere in this country, in every town and village, in every field and forest." What a contrast to me pulling over to check out the Bong Recreation Area, eh?
Regardless whether there is truth to anything you have written, the real truth is the war was forced upon Germany by Britain, and the Anglo-American alliance won the war by being far more ruthless than the Germans ever were, and thus killing far more Germans than they killed in defense of their own country. Getting back to flying, as fine a pilot and as heroic a warrior as Richard Bong was, and I have always known his name since I was a kid, the heroics of Bong and all other American aces is common-place stuff compared to the records of Germany's great aces. There were no breaks for them, no extended leaves from combat unless they were injured. Germany's fighter pilots went up time after time to fight until they were shot from the sky. They had numerous aces with over 100 kills, and one -- Eric Hartman -- was credited with shooting down 352 enemy planes. After surviving the war he endured 10 years inside Soviet prison camps. He was finally released and in 1956 became a pilot in the newly establish West German air force. You can also find incredible stories of heroism in the U-boat service, in the regular German army, especially on the Eastern Front. Again, all these German warriors fought until they died, never being sent back to a permanent desk job after a certain number of missions. The Americans, British and Russians won the war, but the German soldiers, sailors and airmen won the everlasting glory owned only by the greatest warriors of all time. The only thing comparable would be the valor and sacrifices made by soldiers of the Confederate armies during the US Civil War.
@@gordonipock9385 What a hoot! I mean, you really didn't need to compare the incomparable heroism of the Nazis to your other heroes, those valiant Confederates, cuz you already let the fascist cat out of your bag with your sadly typical "Hitler didn't want war--Churchill forced him into it shtick." Of course he didn't want to annex Austria! Of course he had no choice in annexing the Sudetenland! (My wife is a Czech whose great-grandfather was one of the many German (although primarily Austrian) colonizers who made Czechs second-class citizens in their own country, so please don't even bother trying me with your ridiculous internet Nazi conspiracy theories...David Irving is not an historian, pal.) Of course Hitler had to invade Poland, the Low Countries, France, Scandinavia, the Balkans and the Baltic States? What choice did he have, after all. All that Drang nach Osten in Mein Kampf we should just disregard--how could he possibly not invade Russia and send in the Einsatzgruppen to exterminate the Untermenschen? Obviously, war-mongering Churchill (who wasn't even in power at the time) made him do all these things! So go ahead, get all moist when you recount the daring exploits of your manly Waffen SS heroes, "the greatest fighting force ever," as if they were videogame characters. But after you wipe yourself off afterwards, make sure you remember to side with the Nazi judges who condemned die Weisse Rose to death-- an heroic Vaterland can hardly have cowardly 5th columnists in its midst because that's what we do. We tolerate fascist sympathizers because we are weak liberal democracies. Still, it's just such predictable, childish Nazi nonsense you spout. Here's a project for you, my aspiring Untersturmbannführer: how about revisioning the holy work that Henry Rinnan did in Norway? Obviously, all the other Norwegians were effete losers--only Rinnan, like your other heroes, had the courage to do what needed to be done. And Churchill and Jew-loving FDR made him do it anyway, right? osloliteraryagency.no/book/keep-saying-their-names/
There was a small Air Force base built outside my home town of Kenosha Wisconsin named after Richard Bong. It was only active for a couple years in the late 1950s. They then turned it into a campsite and named it "Richard Bong State Recreation Area" -- consequently the sign for it on nearby I-94 is the most stolen sign in Wisconsin.
Hats off to Major Bong. I didn't realize he was so young and would never live to raise a family and have grandkids. Or to enjoy the freedom that he so bravely contributed to. RIP 🙏♥
The museum about him and the local war effort in Superior, WI is excellent! Don't miss it if you're in the area. My wife is not a war buff, but she was just mezzmerised with the place. Great displays about all sorts of WWII topics.
The Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center in Superior, WI is a great museum. Truly does both Major Bong, and Veteran's, justice. The P38 on display is beautiful. The surrounding details of the display are great. With displays on not just Mr. Bong or WW2 alone. The museum is truly a wonderful Veteran's Memorial in it's own right.
My father was a TBM pilot…he was underage and my grandfather signed for him…my grandmother was furious. He was asked to join the Blue Nigel’s after the war but my mother was done with fearing fir his life. I always found it weird, as he crop dusted, flew disaster relief, etc, but hey, that was their issue. Eventually he became a meteorologist at a time when you could still apprentice. Eventually he became a research scientist fir the military…the only one without a PhD. I miss him so much…he raised me to believe I could do anything a man could do…wanted to teach me to fly but Mom vetoed. My next life!
That's an amazing part of WW11 that I've never heard and all he accomplished by the age of 24 . Thank you for that glimpse into a young hero's short but impactful dedication and drive that would fill a life time
Having a passion for military aviation history, I knew well about Dick Bong, as well as numerous other aces from WW1 and WWII. Thanks for featuring him on this great video. We must never forget the brave eagles that fought in the skies to preserve our freedoms.
FOUR HUNDRED HOURS OF COMBAT TIME!!!! That's 400 hours of max adrenaline, heightened senses and the constant threat of immediate death at almost all times! I don't understand how someone could ever go back to civilian life after that. We live amongst many people with extraordinary character that we take for granted. Much respect to anyone that has ever voluntarily served the American military and honestly the same goes for warriors all around the world over vast periods of history.
Definitely History that deserves to be remembered, and more importantly I had NEVER heard of this amazing pilot before this. The P-38 Lightning was a simply incredible aircraft, like the P-51, true heroes. I loved the General telling him that if he didn't fly down Market Street, he would not want him in his air force, but not to do it again..naughty, naughty; and go help the lady whose laundry you knocked down. Brilliant.
We always stopped in Poplar to see his plane when Going to Duluth as a kid. The cockpit was painted over. My dad always said they did that because of military secrets. I have not seen his plane since it moved. We have driven the bridge named after him many times.
They probably do that because there is nothing in there to see.. They would remove all the useful parts before they send a plane to be used for something like that. I used to work on planes in the Air Force. We would never let good parts go to waste.
My uncle Russ was a mechanic in Bong's unit, and he worked on planes that Bong flew. He spoke highly of him not only as a pilot, but as a good guy. He didn't tell many war stories, except for one time that he tracked down an ignition problem they couldn't replicate on the ground. If you pulled the radio rack out of a P-38 you could fit a woman or a small man (like Russ) into the space behind the pilot. Bong took Russ the mechanic for a brief flight so he could hear what it was happening and figure out the problem. I've heard that on another occasion when he was stateside Bong took Marge for a ride in a P-38 after having mechanics pull the radio rack.
I live in Maple wi, 5 miles east of poplar where Bong was from. One of the planes used to be behind the bank on a stand but now is in superior, 25miles west of me. He is our local legend Also a bridge that spans between Superior WI and Duluth MN is named after him
Wisconsinites loved him so much we named a recreation area after him in Racine county. Never realized he shot down 40 planes, that we know of. Amazing. And all by the age of 24.
@@caturdaynite7217 my father was a teenager in the 70s, and if you were in the local Cafe In the morning it wasn't uncommon to hear stories from the old timers about bong.
that Plane Stand was on the edge of the old elementary schools playground I could clime into it at one point. Do they still have the old Poplar Hardware there?
@@natlkjh8677 Poplar Hardware is still there. Not sure if the current store is new or was remodeled for what you remember. It is on the main street about a block or so from the elementary school.
Vale Major Bong Vale. As an Australian we salute you and we thank you for your bravery and help. I hope you have a family that are still proud and your country should still salute you.
I live in Duluth, MN across the St. Louis River from Bong's hometown of Superior, Wisconsin. The Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center in Superior, Wisconsin houses a structure intended to resemble an aircraft hangar, and contains a museum, a film screening room, and a P-38 Lightning restored to resemble Bong's plane. It's a great museum.
My dad enlisted in the Army Air corp in 43. They didn't want to take him because he had a wife and child and was "too old" (28). He flew the beautiful B-25 Mitchell. The guys in his squadron called him "Pops". :)
My grandfather was a pilot in the CBI theater flying supply over the hump. In a DC-3. I would love to learn more about it. History that deserves to be remembered.
My father was a 31st Fighter Group Army Air Corps pilot and served in England and North Africa (trained on P-40 and P-39s, but then Spitfires in England and North Africa. The group changed to P-51s during the Italian invasion). By then, dad had been sent to Fort Meyers, Florida, to train new pilots. At some point, Major Bong showed up to do a little gunnery demonstration. His four 50cals were loaded up with one round each. A small plane was sent aloft over the airfield towing a new target sock. Major Bong approached the target at a very difficult angle and fired. The planes landed and the target sock was then examined - four holes. That's what you call, with apologies to Alvin York, 'some serious shootin' '.
It's absolutely amazing how much this young man accomplished in so short a span of time. Thank you Mr. Bong for your service and sacrifice for your country, and thank you History Guy for memorializing the story of Dick Bong.
When I was a kid I lived for a while on Misawa Air Base in Japan. Every week we went to watch movies at the Richard Bong Theater. All we knew about him at the time is that he flew under the Golden Gate and got in trouble for it. Movies were a quarter, with popcorn and a drink another quarter.
Wow! That’s incredible! As I recall the Red Baron also got in very close before he shot. He wasn’t a great flyer, but a great marksman with excellent eyesight. Bong apparently wasn’t a great shot, but a great pilot. Getting in close was apparently the key to success in pre-rocket days.
Bong was truly an American Hero. He learned to use the P-38 like a club not a delicate instrument. The P-38 had massive forward firepower and coming from above and behind would demolish another plane. The planes speed let her run away and come back for another pass at the enemy. The P-38 could not dive because of compressibility, but could out climb the the Japanese planes. So she could callout I'm BACK. Bong also one of my boyhood hero's as I loved the P-38 and read of the contest between him and Tommy Maguire for top ace in the Pacific.
I'm not sure if it's correct, but the version of the flight down Market Street that I read as a young boy was this: He went down Market street sideways at high speed, then pulled up and did the loop around the center of the Golden Gate bridge. This was during a time they had sent him home on a war bond drive because they were worried about the top ace being shot down. That was his way of getting in trouble so that they'd send him back to combat. Either way, having sat in a P-38 and understanding the sheer size of the plane (20 FEET more wingspan than a Mustang!) and having walked down Market Street, yeah, you'd have to be a real hot shot to fly between the office building in a plane that size at high speed!
This is not forgotten history for me as I grew up near Superior and my family is great friends with the Bongs. They are dear remarkable people. If you are ever in the Superior area, be sure to see the museum. Indeed, it is far more than just a museum about Dick. Then may I add, that a history of Soviet aces would be welcome. For example, that of Ivan Kozhedub. He is considered to have had the most kills among the Allies pilots.
WoW. That young man could fly! That being an understatement. Those are some serious awards he racked up for the various actions performed keeping in mind there were so many other actions not mentioned that were probably just as worthy of awards that were bypassed or even played down so as to not have more attention focused on him but towards the actions of his fellow pilots and the ground crews when maintained their warbirds. All that by what say age 23 and then becoming a test pilot for the early jet plane era? We lost a good on e far too soon that day. RiP. - Thanks History Guy for telling this forgotten story.
This has to be my favorite episode of the History Guy: I have tears streaming down my cheeks. Richard Bong State Recreation Area is near by and a favorite place. Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center is worth the visit.
I remember when they bought out all the famers, using eminent domain as needed, to build Bong Airbase. But then it was never completed, and was abandoned for years, before the state turned it into a recreation area. One of my farming greatuncles was displaced by that Air Force fiasco. Dick Bong deserved more of a memorial than an unfinished airbase bearing his name.
@@retiredyeti5555 I like to think Bong would have been honored to have a natural area named for him. He fought for peace, and the Bong Recreation Area is peaceful.
Here I am, an aging AF brat from the '50's and '60's, and I'm not familiar with Major Bong. And he flew one of my favorite planes! The story of his shooting the croc is movie worthy all by itself. Great story and is a good lead in to a talk that Chris Henry gave for the Military Aviation Museum in October 2020. Easy to find, as it has a very similar title to this one - Ace of Aces: The Story of Richard Bong. Now I know of another great hero of the worst conflict in human history.
I have committed on your channel before. But sometimes one must speak up. When I was 24 …. I was still acting like a child. I had heard a Little of Bong but my god. What a Hero. Giving away credit, coming back from such of what had to be hard times. Then still giving up his life doing incredible work. Thank you for your time and my continuing education when I watch and listen to you.
Stories like this, while they make me proud of my fellow countrymen also come with a tinge of sadness for how far we have fallen. The skill and more aptly, the guts of men like this are inspiring to a person like myself who wallowed in his early 20s. Stuff like this makes me realize whatever I have to do, it ain't that hard/bad and to just do it.
There is a Richard Bong Museum in Superior Wisconsin with a replica of his plane. The Air Force was in the process of building a Airfield named after him in SE Wisconsin. When most of the grading had been completed it was cancelled. What was to be the main runway is still visible on Google Earth. Today it's Bong State Park, which gives a chuckle to many teenagers unaware of his exploits and the source of the park's name.
When I was a kid, my hero's weren't ball players, or actors. They were fighter pilots. Richard Bong was the biggest hero of them all. Actually, they still are.
If you ever find yourself in the area of Superior, Wisconsin stop by the Bong Museum, well worth the stop. We found it by accident in 2017 and were very surprised on how the museum spans multiple military eras.
Bong’s greatest competitor for top ace status, Tommy McGwire, was from my home town and I’ve been told that he, like Bong, was a very humble and down to earth type as well who also died towards the end of the war. Pilots such as these will likely never be seen again!
They used to have Dick Bongs P-38 at the school in Poplar, Wisconsin. They don't have it there anymore, but they named Superior, WI airport in honor of Richard Ira Bong.
I was going to make that comment as well. I remember from childhood our family going from northern Wisconsin up to Duluth, and there it was. I I have missed seeing it there ever since they moved it... I think it's in a Museum in Superior now, displayed indoors with a lot of WWII memorabilia. Haven't gone to see it there yet.
@@easygoing2479 My summer vacations while growing up were in Bayfield, WI. My parents grew up there. I grew up in NJ but left there 28 years ago n moved to Alabama. At least I could buy a farm in AL which I couldn't buy in either NJ or WI. Now that I'm retired maybe next summer I might just drive up there n see the sights n visit that museum in Superior.
It was the policy in the Western Allies to pull a pilot from combat after 40 confirmed victories. RAF ace Air Vice Marshal "Johnnie" Johnson springs to mind. For this reason it was common practice for top pilots to give away kills or encourage their crew chief to "forget" to put film in the gun cameras etc. to remain in combat. MAJ Gregory "Pappy" Boyington claimed (after the war) he'd shot down 63, including his Flying Tigers kills. But this is why US/RAF pilots had such lower totals compared with their opponents. The Germans had several pilots in triple digits including MAJ Erich Hartmann at 352 (!) despite a more strenuous verification process. They fought until they died, flying in some cases 5 sorties per day. The Japanese top ace, LTjg. Nishizawa had between 80 and 102 depending on whose figures you believe.
probly.....he KNEW HIS SKILLS, and eyesight, with hand/eye/brain totally in sync and coordinated. An unknown variable, is a 'test' plane. He KNEW THAT two-winged plane, he grew up with, and KNEW IT, INSIDE OUT.....
@@llnam12 Well he knew his Lightening but he didn't know that jet, as well it being 'experimental' its , maintenance and servicibility was unknown to him. I bet he had his own, dedicated ground crew fixing his P38 !
I think we should all take a moment and recognize the epicness of Dick Bong's name. That's an All-Time name right there, and it deserves to be remembered.
I was debating if I wanted to stay up a bit longer to watch a video about a war hero, and then I saw the guy's name and almost died 🤣
We've got a state recreation area named for him. The Bong Recreation Area.
@@jimvargaco.6344 I bet it's been a popular spot for youngsters to recreate with their bongs over the years 😂
My wife bought a dick bong in Bali.
Amen
My dad witnessed Maj. Bong shoot down a Japanese Zero in the Philippines. As my dad would say, "he blew him out of the sky." Bong flew back over the US Base, upside down, after the shooting down the Zero, saluting the soldiers on the ground, then pulled up and performed several 360's as he climbed in his P-38. My dad never forgot that moment and referred to it often during his life. He never met Maj. Bong but talked about him often. My dad kept a model of the P-38 on his desk.
He was Top Gun Numero Uno
My family and I lived in Duluth, Minnesota 1957-1962. When we drove to Michigan for summer vacation, we passed through Poplar, Wisconsin. My father stopped our car so we could see the P-38 mounted on a pedestal in honor of Major Dick Bong. I read the tribute to America's ace of aces. I marveled at the streamlined beauty of the twin engined fighter plane. The Lockheed P-38 Lightning became my all time favorite WWII fighter aircraft. I have read that the day he died, Major Bong was scheduled to either eat lunch or play golf with Bob Hope. Not sure if that is true or not. Dick Bong deserves to be remembered. Thank you History Guy! This is your best episode ever!
I grew up in Bong's hometown (Poplar, WI). We were taught his story from a young age. Such a fantastic and tragic story for a simple farm boy from Northern Wisco. I was always disappointed to never see him featured in a documentary or on the History Channel so I greatly appreciate you making this video.
so you have seen the "Bong Recreation Area" :)
I moved to Wisconsin in the early 80's to attend college. It was then that I learned about Major Bong and his fascinating life. So sad he had to die so young!
@@sillysongs19 that’s actually in southeastern Wisconsin and northern wisco is way further
Where you been think I saw him on AHC channel, Maguire and the other of the top three overall aces flew 38s. Been reading and hearing bout him and the others for a while in the " two planes one pilot"
Superior Wisconsin name a bridge in his name, The Bong Bridge. It was built long after the High Bridge was built so there was a little protest from people who were unaware of who Bong was
P-38 Lightning was a plane that is iconic in its design, performance, firepower and esthetics. Overshadowed by later designs.. the plane was a great achievement and the pilots were the cherry on top. As an Aussie we don't really appreciate the sacrifice and legacy of US for Australias prosperity. Thanks to our US allies for past, present and future support. Lest We Forget.
I only hope you can do the same for us as we slide down the rabbit hole of Socialism and the inevitable communist domination that follows.
@@GordonWaiteJr Yep.. We have a debt of honour to the US.... and will always pay my share of bill.
@@GordonWaiteJr Oh goodie, another wannabe, marginal political scientist lurches to the podium. Bless his little heart, dumbass..
@@jacquesblaque7728 guessing your name is a non-deplume or you're truly cursed by your parents? So you work as:
A) public employee.
B) Doctor, lawyer or advocate
C) teacher / lecturer.
D) CCP/MSS Shill?
In my opinion the best plane produced in WW II . It was so versatile it could do anything.
My father was a forward observer in New Guinea. He knew Major Bong and told me stories of how he used to call him in for the airstrikes and how they would talk to one another on the radio while on missions. I had no idea how famous he was until I visited the Dayton Air Museum and found a display there of him. Like many war veterans, my dad rarely spoke of the war, but this was one of the things he told me about. Thanks for the video.
What an amazing story, thanks for sharing that!
Your Father was a hero too -- being a forward observer is definitely a risky job.
National Air Force museum - yes i live in dayton...
My dad was in the 1089 Signal company at that time.
@@thomasbeimly1089 Jesus please shut up you don’t own it.
As a warbird fan as well as a fan of the blokes that flew them, thank you for another great bit of history.
Suggestion ; Try looking into Clive Caldwell, an Australian WWII fighter pilot who was an Ace five or six times over. He served in the Middle East and later in the South Pacific against the Japanese and because he traded whisky and gin with the yanks for ammo, fuel, and other necessities to carry on the fight he was demoted back to a Flight Lieutenant and received no recognition for his efforts.
Thank you for posting this video, Major Richard Bong is my cousin three times removed. As a child, my grandpa met Richard and took a photo with him because my great grandma used to babysit Richard when he was little. I feel as though Richard isn't really talked about often due to his unfortunate early death, so he never had the opportunity to tell his tales and legacy like many other aces who overshadow him. It really is a privilege to be related to him, even if I am just a distant cousin. Richard has always been someone I look up to.
That’s amazing - does anyone know what happened to his siblings ?
This channel constantly reminds me that we walk in the footsteps of giants.
True. We live the world they saved.
We owe it to them to be better people.
uh, you left out the shadows of giants
@@cornbreadfedkirkpatrick9647 nah we're not in their shadows. They carry us on their shoulders.
@@Getorix sometimes when we are worthy
It hasn’t even started yet and this man is my hero.
Maj.Bong has that effect on people.
@@MagniKhan bwahhaha!
You could not go wrong, with a man named Dick Bong.
Just the name gives off powerful Chad energy
@@stocchinet Everything about this hero give off super Chad energy.....and all before the age of 24.
My mom worked with Maj Bong while he was assigned to Lockheed flying the P-80. She was a secretary for the commander of the USAAF office at the Burbank plant. She said Maj Bong was always friendly and modest, you'd never think he was America's greatest ace by talking with him, just an all American farm boy. The office was devastated by his crash in the P-80. Like everyone working at Lockheed Burbank, she also had great respect for Milo Burcham, another terrible loss. With today's highly reliable FADEC controlled engines, it's hard to remember just how temperamental those early jet engines were.
I'm a bit perplexed at how they wanted to keep him alive, so they took him out of combat and he ended up in one of the only non-combat jobs that probably had a higher chance of killing him.
That's the military all over.
Pilots are not compelled into the Test Pilot role. As in many such endeavors, only volunteers are selected.
They just sent him home. He was looking for a way to keep flying, short of buying his own airplane.
I live on Minnesota's North Shore, forty miles from Superior, WI and this is the most I have ever heard anyone speak about this great man's life. Thank you!
That is sad....
Visit the Veterans center/museum here in Superior. For that matter visit all 5 of our museums.
But everyone in Minnesota knows George Floyd's name. So very unfair and sad.
I drove over the Bong Bridge for years and never thought to research who he was.
@@WALTERBROADDUS I came to write that.
If only the "run of the mill American" was as proud of their vets and history as they are of their 2nd ammendment. Fortunately, there are social media platforms these days for videos like this; and historians like The History Guy that thoroughly enjoy keeping - and in cases like this, almost giving a rebirth to the legacy these legends helped to afford us all. I am Canadian, and typically stay away from politics as it bears very little weight in our day to day lives (unlike most countries these days) But even with the sickening after effects of the 2 nukes, I am still proud to say 'we' were on the same team. (We also tend to talk about wars worth fighting - WW1&2 - the rest is a sad story that is frankly embarrassing) as if we are all on the same team. 'Allied force' where Americans tend to say US this and that and like the rest of us together were the USA's partner lol
Know what I mean? LoL America tried to stay out of the war (WW2 - which I can respect all day) and weren't part of it (besides materials, supplies and whatnot) for years. So I can see the separation, but if you look at it that way, the Allies would be the main team and USA the partner lol
Like I said, we were all on the same team. Even if you came late to the party haha
Let's face it, if you faught in either war.. you are either a hero or a psychopath. Doesn't even matter what team you're fighting for or what country you hail from. We ALL did some pretty bad shit that wouldn't fly today. (This is by no means Nazi or Imperial sympathy, in case anyone got that vibe - just facts)
Here's hoping the world doesn't see another war like either of those and countries start minding their own business and focus on defense.. not offense. Life would be better for everyone.
I would never join the military unless we were under threat of attack. I couldn't be sent to a war that shouldn't be happening to be potentially killed for causes I disagree with (if I was even told the real reason..) and live with myself after. This is why Canada doesn't have a massive military, nobody wants to hurt us.. we don't go rob ppl. So we don't need it. If something came up and it was required, we would have a formidable military as we have every other time we needed one. (Please don't come at me with some ridiculous Canada is protected by the USA bs.. still the same team, guys... still the same team.. lol Not to mention the US army couldn't take a fort from a handful of Frenchman - confident as ever though "as easy as marching in there" ok then lol Then we promptly burned down the Whitehouse, but that's just funny to me. Not an attack on the US army. You guys kick ass, just gotta learn to kick the right asses.
We have a bridge in Townsville Australia named after Richard Bong. He spent a bit of time there in WW2
Us Aussies just love anything called Bong. Great to know the actual reason for the name of the bridge now.
@@somebloke3869 I'll second that :)
Heeey, we have a Bong Bridge as well!!! th-cam.com/video/KnN8pHAE55g/w-d-xo.html
My granddad was an RAAF intelligence officer in FNQ during WW2. I wonder if he met Lt Bong.
@@zedhead2864 Yup, Duluth and superior Minnesota. They also have a museum dedicated to him
My mother lived on a farm near Poplar, WI. She went to school with him and knew him quite well. He loved to race cars back in those days.
Thank you for honoring Major Richard Ira Bong on your channel. A true WWII war hero.
I am truly floored by the sheer volume of HIGH QUALITY contact you're able to produce. This channel is an extremely valuable body of work, every single one of your videos is fascinating and thought-provoking
Hear hear!
ABSOLUTELY AGREE!
Agreed! Definitely one of the top history channels on the internet. I could spend hours watching his videos.
If I w as a teacher I would show his videos every Friday or Monday. The man makes history interesting which is a bit of rare skill along historians.
i agree! definitely one of the best youtube channels
I could not agree more!
The parallels of Maj. Bong and GySgt Basilone are uncanny. Men who have given every measure of themselves and come out on top. Chosen to spread their immense knowledge and experience to keep others alive in a training environment….but they feel they must do it themselves. Truly the greatest generation.
My daughter had Basilone's great grandnice as her pre-school teacher.
Truly stated
Dick Bong deserves to be remembered for more than a chuckle when you see a sign on the highway in NW Wisconsin.
He truly was a great pilot and man and hero....We miss him.....Thanks
What a brave young man. He died younger than three of my five children. I can’t imagine the loss of such a person. Of all the honors he received, the best we can give is to keep him alive in history lessons. Thank you, THG for doing that!
Sorry ma'am for your loss.
God bless you.
God bless.
@@whiterabbit-wo7hw I didn’t explain myself well… our five children are thankfully still living. What I meant to say was that the young man in this video died at an age younger than three of our children currently are. I can’t imagine this happening to one of them!
@@tomh6183 I didn’t explain myself well… our five children are thankfully still living. What I meant to say was that the young man in this video died at an age younger than three of our children currently are. I can’t imagine this happening to one of them is what I should have written!
There is a "Bong" street on most USAF bases. Nice to know the back story.
We have a bridge in Townsville Australia named after Richard Bong
There is a state park in Wisconsin called Bong state park.
There is a Bong recreation area just north of the Illinois/Wisconsin state line off I-94. It was always a point of interest for frequent travelers between Milwaukee and Chicago, now we know.
The Bong bridge is one of two between Duluth, MN & Superior, WI.
The answer is actually what you may have initially thought- it’s weed related. Bong’s grandfather changed his name on 4/20/1865. He was from Jamaica, queens and known as the “”Stoned Wall.” He smoked a native plant through his repeating rifle.
He's an Ace in my books, just because of his Name.
Yep, gotta be careful with a Google Image search.
I can be almost 40, but I swear, the right combination of words makes me 6 again. This is probably the most incredible example of funny names ever.
I am 58 years old and his name is the only reason I clicked on this!
All these comments are gold! Haha
As a retired USAF pilot I first got interested in flying from my dad who was in the Army Air Corp during WWII…..as a small child I remember him telling me about Major Bong and how brave he was……but in my 30 years in the AF I don’t recall anyone talking about him.
I've known of Richard Bong since I was a kid.. that's a long time...Brave skilled man in a wicked bad plane ..my all time favorite P-38 Lightning
I personally witnessed one of the last flying P-38 lightning crash and killed the pilot due to unfamiliarity of the aircraft and engines. This was in 1975,, Lafayette, Louisiana. Beautifully decked out in camouflage by the “Confederate Airforce” in Harlingen, Tx. She was called “The Scatterbrain Kid”.
4 fifty caliber machine guns and a 20mm cannon made the P38 a deadly machine. shot down admiral yamamoto too with p38's
@@ChaplainBobWalkerBTh Concentrated in the nose...bad plane!
Bong is the literal embodiment of "Live fast die young."
Except he was a clean living Midwest farm boy... :)
I'm an Infantry Veteran but when I heard you state all his awards I must admit I teared up!! The man was the most modest of Legends!! May he RIP, what an absolute hero!!
What an amazing story and such a sad ending. RIP
There was a recent book (I think it's called 'The Race of Aces') about the SoPac USAAF fighter pilots 'competing' to become the top ace. Dick Bong had a hard time of it. Due to his success he was promoted and on one mission a couple of his wingmen were shot down and killed. He begged to be allowed to fly alone, so he wouldn't have other men's lives in his hands. Also, later he was flying a mission with Tommy Lynch (a very popular and successful P38 pilot, whom the rest of the squadron JUST worshipped); Lynch was shot down and killed by flak so when Bong came back alone, he was VERY disliked by the rest of the squadron.
Well... "fighter jocks" were about to be pushed beyond that for the Space Race. All these guys thought it was going to be that other guy who got whacked.
Both US Army and US Navy Air arms and Aviators were the best on Earth on or about 1945 and every one of them "knew it"(oversexed, overpaid and over here!)
Coming in for the Bronze medal at #3 was US Marine Corps Aviation.
Interesting story about helicopter aviation and the US Coast Guard which is indeed "History worth" well, more than just remembering but in fact *"RECALLING."*
Yea, useless, sad ending.
Finally, this one has been over due. Thank you for this one.
One can only image what he might have done had he lived to 30. So much in such a short life.
I read about Richard Bong in the early '70's while in Junior High.
I recall one account of his flying skill where He would pull power back
on one engine and goose the other to facilitate tighter turns in a
Dog Fight. Driving it like a tractor (braking one wheel) must've worked.
That is how you turn them on the ground.
..I've heard Tommy McGuire used those tactics, also..in fact, some accounts say that he was doing some such maneuver at very low altitude in combat, and stalled, and the reason he crashed and died in the dogfight...
Brave man , sad story . So much life ahead for the young married couple . True definition of giving life for country .
Those early P 38's were "widow makers " I read a story were Mr. Bong himself lost control of his Lighting and luckily he was able to recover the plane as it was in an uncontrollable dive . A lot of P 38 pilots lost their life when that plane did that . Later versions were modified to get rid of that and other "bugs" the Lighting had . Good thing Charles Lindbergh took an intrest in making it better .
Correct. From "Aviation History": "The P-38 suffered from two different problems, tail flutter and compressibility. Compressibility could tear the tail off the P-38 and this phenomenon was common to all high-speed fighters. Both P-47 Thunderbolts and P-51 Mustangs lost tails during high-speed dives. Compressibility caused buffeting on the P-38, not flutter."
Race of Aces is an Excellent book and highlights the numerous challenges the pilots in the SW Pacific theater faced. Great profiles of Bong, Tommy Lynch, Neal Kirby, Tommy McGuire & Charles MacDonald. I highly recommend it.
I read “Ace of Aces”,
Wonderful read, great hero
My dad, who grew up on Minnesota's Iron Range, considered Richard Bong a real hero, so thanks for this episode! 😎✌🏼
As a Wisconsinite, an air force Vet, and a history enthusiast, I love seeing this kinda stuff
Expat Pom living in Australia remembers reading of Dick Bong in Wings magazine of the 1970s, his story stuck in my mind. Thank you for taking the time to remind people of this marvelous pilot.
The pride of Wisconsin. There is a park named in his honor outside of LaCrosse. Sadly the signs for the park are constantly being stolen as the park is named Bong Recreation Area.
Very true I've never been the recreation area but driven past it multiple times on the interstate, I wonder if a plaque or something stating who Maj. Bong was and what he did might evoke a little more respect by the would be vandals just looking for a souvenir for the silly drug reference. Sad though.
I lived in that area, when in high school. There was always talk about and attempts at grabbing the sign, "Bong Recreation Area". I don't see it as disrespectful to the hero Ira Bong. Just dopey kids.
Where is it near La Crosse? I can only find one near Kenosha.
@@steadyashegoes7763 You are correct, it is south of MKE. Somehow I forgot about that over the years.
@@LJHibt710 There is a large memorial plaque which carries his story.
What a glorious biography. Absolutely astounding.
The crocodile part was awesomeness.
Thank you for this.
The statistic about the contribution of aces is facinating; Mr. Churchill's words 'Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few' are apt to describe the contribution of fighter pilots across that war.
I’ve known about Dick Bong since I was 12 hrs old and read all I could about him. My favorite tv show of course was Baa Baa Black Sheep. Watched every episode. I do remember one episode where they paid homage to Bong and the P-38. I still loved the corsair more of course. I never knew he was only 24 when he died. Just think, he could have easily been a Yeager or Glenn. You have surpassed these great men in importance by being one to keep their memories and achievements alive. Please keep it up. 24 years old. I had no clue. Never thought about that. Salute to you and all of the men and women that came before us.
Dick Bong was indeed a hero, but please do not forget his rival Tommy McGuire who had 38 kills at the time of his death over the Philippines
Pretty sure that is him in the picture at 11:07.
I never could find the story of Bong until I got a book about Bong and Maguire. Both stories are jaw dropping.
As much as I admire Bong, I'd rather see a film on McGuire. He seemed more complicated as a person and, if contemporary accounts are accurate, borderline unlikeable. I think his life would make a more interesting story.
@@jcreateturner I read that book in high school. Can't remember the name of it, but it was a great book.
Surprised he did not mention Tommy McGuire.
I knew of Major Bong but never heard the story of him picking off that alligator with a 20mm round. No wonder he needed to fly a fighter with two engines...needed the extra horsepower to carry those huge brass balls of his :)
If his crew chief did not paint an alligator on the cockpit rail, I would be very disappointed.
No alligators in New Guinea, only crocs. BIG crocs.
@@Topknot60 Yeah the Salt Water ones. A full-grown one will go over one ton in weight.
He had practice from bagging all those womp rats in his T-16 back home.
I don't recall ever hearing the crocodile story either. The History Guy digs deep!
Thank you for celebrating our heroes
With a name like that he was destined for nothing but greatness
Or to get beat up at school.
I knew this story, but it has been a long time since I have thought about it. It is good to be reminded of folks like this.
I wasn't aware of this awesome hero, just others. was my dad well to me he was.
Another great story you may consider covering is that of “Butch” O’Hare, whom Chicago’s airport is named after. I read his story to my extended family when we got together on Memorial Day and was surprised when they all said they had never heard of him before
Butch O'Hare has an amazing story of being the son of a thug, in trouble with the law, rising to a true hero.
Tim, thanks for your informative comment. Without really thinking about it I'd always assumed that the person after whom O'Hare airport was named was some politician or other, like LaGuardia in New York or Lester B Pearson Airport in Toronto.
It is a very interesting and easily researched story. Agreed.
th-cam.com/video/FSgvPHBMV9w/w-d-xo.html
@@simongleaden2864 th-cam.com/video/FSgvPHBMV9w/w-d-xo.html
There was a period during the New Guinea campaign when Bong (Ace #1) teamed up unofficially with Tommy McGuire (Ace #2) while flying out of Nichols Field (I think.) My Dad was ground echelon (armorer and fuel) and was one of those who serviced the planes of both men. He had photos of both planes in his album and him with Bong. I got the feeling he liked both Bong and McGuire.
The Smithsonian has one of the planes Bong flew as a test pilot, a modified P-38. Something went badly wrong during one flight but both he and the plane survived.
Wisconsin legend! When you drive to Milwaukee from Chicago you will inevitably encounter the Bong Recreational Area, and people are always floored to find out that the guy with, objectively, the funniest name in American military history is also a bona fide national hero.
As a Wisconsinite born and raised, love and appreciate this episode. Thank you so much. Truly exceptional individual. His contributions to our country and those he served with can’t be overstated!
When I was a hippie kid back in the 70s, we used to laugh about the Bong Recreation Area off I-94 between Chicago and Milwaukee. But when I actually stopped there once, I discovered why it had this unusual name. I was already a total history nut by that point, but this chance discovery led to many more over the years, and not just in books, not just in America.
Some of these discoveries were not so uplifting or nice, either. One time, off on a hike outside the sleepy little town in Germany where I lived for a while (Balingen), I came across a small plaque on a stone that I had passed by many times without noticing. Clearing the dirt off to read the inscription, I was horrified to learn that this beautiful, quiet little town with less than 30,000 inhabitants when I lived there, 40 years after the war, was a very busy place during all 12 years of the 3rd Reich.
It was part of Unternehmen „Wüste“ (Operation Desert), the synthetic fuel project that used shale deposits to help run the German war machine. It was also part of the massive project to "resettle" the Slavic lands invaded by the Wehrmacht, from Czechoslovakia to Russia. Its third infamous activity was the building of a defensive wall along the nearby French border (a project obviated by the conquest of France in 1940.)
All of these projects used slave labor, initially German Jews, intellectuals and other such undesirables, but after September of 1939 a steady stream of unfortunates from all over Nazi-controlled Europe were consumed by these various projects. The number of victims who died there is unknown to this day, an unusual phenomenon considering the German penchant for record-keeping. One historian I spoke with speculated that this might be because a) some of these projects were either top secret and/or of a "sensitive" nature and b) because it was one of the first areas that the newly reconstituted French Army rolled into in 1945, only to discover that in addition to all the other activities, there was also an internment camp for French soldiers captured in the 1940 invasion, and in the process of hastily converting it into an internment camp for local Germans who had worked especially enthusiastically with the various Nazi projects, much was destroyed, either out of rage or accidentally.
When I asked my friends who had grown up and lived in the area their whole lives how it was possible that so much evil had been perpetrated in one small town, one of them, a guy I was particularly close to and a fellow history buff told me the following:
"You know that history is beneath your feet wherever you go, right? Well, maybe this will put what happened in Balingen in some perspective for you. Even at its zenith, Greater Germany was still only about the size of Texas. Well, there weren't just the massive, notorious concentration camps, most of which were in the East. In Germany alone there were something like 10,000 smaller camps and forced labor operations, etc, some of which were quite small. If you know where to look, you can't go 10 miles on any direction without stumbling across some sort of installation or camp. In many ways, all of Germany was one giant concentration camp. That's why I hate it whenever I hear another German say we didn't know what the Nazis were doing--those bastards were everywhere in this country, in every town and village, in every field and forest."
What a contrast to me pulling over to check out the Bong Recreation Area, eh?
Regardless whether there is truth to anything you have written, the real truth is the war was forced upon Germany by Britain, and the Anglo-American alliance won the war by being far more ruthless than the Germans ever were, and thus killing far more Germans than they killed in defense of their own country.
Getting back to flying, as fine a pilot and as heroic a warrior as Richard Bong was, and I have always known his name since I was a kid, the heroics of Bong and all other American aces is common-place stuff compared to the records of Germany's great aces. There were no breaks for them, no extended leaves from combat unless they were injured. Germany's fighter pilots went up time after time to fight until they were shot from the sky. They had numerous aces with over 100 kills, and one -- Eric Hartman -- was credited with shooting down 352 enemy planes. After surviving the war he endured 10 years inside Soviet prison camps. He was finally released and in 1956 became a pilot in the newly establish West German air force.
You can also find incredible stories of heroism in the U-boat service, in the regular German army, especially on the Eastern Front. Again, all these German warriors fought until they died, never being sent back to a permanent desk job after a certain number of missions.
The Americans, British and Russians won the war, but the German soldiers, sailors and airmen won the everlasting glory owned only by the greatest warriors of all time. The only thing comparable would be the valor and sacrifices made by soldiers of the Confederate armies during the US Civil War.
Wikipedia entry for Eric Hartman. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erich_Hartmann
Germany's top ten aces in WW II.
www.warhistoryonline.com/world-war-ii/top-10-luftwaffe-aces-of-wwii.html
@@gordonipock9385
What a hoot! I mean, you really didn't need to compare the incomparable heroism of the Nazis to your other heroes, those valiant Confederates, cuz you already let the fascist cat out of your bag with your sadly typical "Hitler didn't want war--Churchill forced him into it shtick." Of course he didn't want to annex Austria! Of course he had no choice in annexing the Sudetenland! (My wife is a Czech whose great-grandfather was one of the many German (although primarily Austrian) colonizers who made Czechs second-class citizens in their own country, so please don't even bother trying me with your ridiculous internet Nazi conspiracy theories...David Irving is not an historian, pal.)
Of course Hitler had to invade Poland, the Low Countries, France, Scandinavia, the Balkans and the Baltic States? What choice did he have, after all. All that Drang nach Osten in Mein Kampf we should just disregard--how could he possibly not invade Russia and send in the Einsatzgruppen to exterminate the Untermenschen? Obviously, war-mongering Churchill (who wasn't even in power at the time) made him do all these things!
So go ahead, get all moist when you recount the daring exploits of your manly Waffen SS heroes, "the greatest fighting force ever," as if they were videogame characters. But after you wipe yourself off afterwards, make sure you remember to side with the Nazi judges who condemned die Weisse Rose to death-- an heroic Vaterland can hardly have cowardly 5th columnists in its midst because that's what we do. We tolerate fascist sympathizers because we are weak liberal democracies.
Still, it's just such predictable, childish Nazi nonsense you spout. Here's a project for you, my aspiring Untersturmbannführer: how about revisioning the holy work that Henry Rinnan did in Norway? Obviously, all the other Norwegians were effete losers--only Rinnan, like your other heroes, had the courage to do what needed to be done. And Churchill and Jew-loving FDR made him do it anyway, right?
osloliteraryagency.no/book/keep-saying-their-names/
Had no idea how common forced labor camps were throughout Gemany. How could anyone see the exploitated laborers and not feel a tug of humanity?
There was a small Air Force base built outside my home town of Kenosha Wisconsin named after Richard Bong. It was only active for a couple years in the late 1950s. They then turned it into a campsite and named it "Richard Bong State Recreation Area" -- consequently the sign for it on nearby I-94 is the most stolen sign in Wisconsin.
Hats off to Major Bong. I didn't realize he was so young and would never live to raise a family and have grandkids. Or to enjoy the freedom that he so bravely contributed to. RIP 🙏♥
The museum about him and the local war effort in Superior, WI is excellent! Don't miss it if you're in the area. My wife is not a war buff, but she was just mezzmerised with the place. Great displays about all sorts of WWII topics.
The Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center in Superior, WI is a great museum. Truly does both Major Bong, and Veteran's, justice. The P38 on display is beautiful. The surrounding details of the display are great.
With displays on not just Mr. Bong or WW2 alone. The museum is truly a wonderful Veteran's Memorial in it's own right.
My father was a TBM pilot…he was underage and my grandfather signed for him…my grandmother was furious. He was asked to join the Blue Nigel’s after the war but my mother was done with fearing fir his life. I always found it weird, as he crop dusted, flew disaster relief, etc, but hey, that was their issue. Eventually he became a meteorologist at a time when you could still apprentice. Eventually he became a research scientist fir the military…the only one without a PhD. I miss him so much…he raised me to believe I could do anything a man could do…wanted to teach me to fly but Mom vetoed. My next life!
That's an amazing part of WW11 that I've never heard and all he accomplished by the age of 24 . Thank you for that glimpse into a young hero's short but impactful dedication and drive that would fill a life time
Having a passion for military aviation history, I knew well about Dick Bong, as well as numerous other aces from WW1 and WWII. Thanks for featuring him on this great video. We must never forget the brave eagles that fought in the skies to preserve our freedoms.
FOUR HUNDRED HOURS OF COMBAT TIME!!!! That's 400 hours of max adrenaline, heightened senses and the constant threat of immediate death at almost all times! I don't understand how someone could ever go back to civilian life after that. We live amongst many people with extraordinary character that we take for granted. Much respect to anyone that has ever voluntarily served the American military and honestly the same goes for warriors all around the world over vast periods of history.
Definitely History that deserves to be remembered, and more importantly I had NEVER heard of this amazing pilot before this. The P-38 Lightning was a simply incredible aircraft, like the P-51, true heroes. I loved the General telling him that if he didn't fly down Market Street, he would not want him in his air force, but not to do it again..naughty, naughty; and go help the lady whose laundry you knocked down. Brilliant.
9:45 I really hope Dick Bong painted a silhouette of that crocodile on his P-38
The American Spirit at it's finest. God Bless all those who sacrifice so much.
What an amazing hero.
WoW! Only 25 years old and achieved all those decorations. He was truly the Audie Murphy of the sky! Thanks for another great history lesson.
Wow! What a legacy. Everytime I hear these tales of 'The Greatest Generation' I am humbled by their example - and beaming with pride.
We always stopped in Poplar to see his plane when Going to Duluth as a kid. The cockpit was painted over. My dad always said they did that because of military secrets. I have not seen his plane since it moved. We have driven the bridge named after him many times.
They probably do that because there is nothing in there to see.. They would remove all the useful parts before they send a plane to be used for something like that. I used to work on planes in the Air Force. We would never let good parts go to waste.
The plane is in the museum in superior by the perkins
A wonderful tribute to the Ace of Aces.
My uncle Russ was a mechanic in Bong's unit, and he worked on planes that Bong flew. He spoke highly of him not only as a pilot, but as a good guy. He didn't tell many war stories, except for one time that he tracked down an ignition problem they couldn't replicate on the ground. If you pulled the radio rack out of a P-38 you could fit a woman or a small man (like Russ) into the space behind the pilot. Bong took Russ the mechanic for a brief flight so he could hear what it was happening and figure out the problem. I've heard that on another occasion when he was stateside Bong took Marge for a ride in a P-38 after having mechanics pull the radio rack.
I live in Maple wi, 5 miles east of poplar where Bong was from. One of the planes used to be behind the bank on a stand but now is in superior, 25miles west of me. He is our local legend
Also a bridge that spans between Superior WI and Duluth MN is named after him
Wisconsinites loved him so much we named a recreation area after him in Racine county. Never realized he shot down 40 planes, that we know of. Amazing. And all by the age of 24.
@@caturdaynite7217 my father was a teenager in the 70s, and if you were in the local Cafe In the morning it wasn't uncommon to hear stories from the old timers about bong.
that Plane Stand was on the edge of the old elementary schools playground I could clime into it at one point. Do they still have the old Poplar Hardware there?
@@caturdaynite7217 I believe that was supposed to be an airport but was deemed too close to Mitchell and O'Hare.
@@natlkjh8677 Poplar Hardware is still there. Not sure if the current store is new or was remodeled for what you remember. It is on the main street about a block or so from the elementary school.
When the enemy puts a price on your head and names you specifically, you know greatness.
Don't miss the History Guy's episode on Virginia Hall - the Nazis wanted her out of the way in a most desperate fashion.
Vale Major Bong Vale. As an Australian we salute you and we thank you for your bravery and help. I hope you have a family that are still proud and your country should still salute you.
I live in Duluth, MN across the St. Louis River from Bong's hometown of Superior, Wisconsin. The Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center in Superior, Wisconsin houses a structure intended to resemble an aircraft hangar, and contains a museum, a film screening room, and a P-38 Lightning restored to resemble Bong's plane. It's a great museum.
My dad enlisted in the Army Air corp in 43. They didn't want to take him because he had a wife and child and was "too old" (28). He flew the beautiful B-25 Mitchell. The guys in his squadron called him "Pops". :)
Ikluoyuuuiu
My dad was in B-25’s also, 14th AAF, CBI WWII
Damn they call me pops and I was only 21
Huckebein?
My grandfather was a pilot in the CBI theater flying supply over the hump. In a DC-3. I would love to learn more about it. History that deserves to be remembered.
My father was a 31st Fighter Group Army Air Corps pilot and served in England and North Africa (trained on P-40 and P-39s, but then Spitfires in England and North Africa. The group changed to P-51s during the Italian invasion). By then, dad had been sent to Fort Meyers, Florida, to train new pilots. At some point, Major Bong showed up to do a little gunnery demonstration. His four 50cals were loaded up with one round each. A small plane was sent aloft over the airfield towing a new target sock. Major Bong approached the target at a very difficult angle and fired. The planes landed and the target sock was then examined - four holes. That's what you call, with apologies to Alvin York, 'some serious shootin' '.
It's absolutely amazing how much this young man accomplished in so short a span of time. Thank you Mr. Bong for your service and sacrifice for your country, and thank you History Guy for memorializing the story of Dick Bong.
When I was a kid I lived for a while on Misawa Air Base in Japan. Every week we went to watch movies at the Richard Bong Theater. All we knew about him at the time is that he flew under the Golden Gate and got in trouble for it. Movies were a quarter, with popcorn and a drink another quarter.
Wow! That’s incredible! As I recall the Red Baron also got in very close before he shot. He wasn’t a great flyer, but a great marksman with excellent eyesight. Bong apparently wasn’t a great shot, but a great pilot. Getting in close was apparently the key to success in pre-rocket days.
Bong was truly an American Hero. He learned to use the P-38 like a club not a delicate instrument. The P-38 had massive forward firepower and coming from above and behind would demolish another plane. The planes speed let her run away and come back for another pass at the enemy. The P-38 could not dive because of compressibility, but could out climb the the Japanese planes. So she could callout I'm BACK. Bong also one of my boyhood hero's as I loved the P-38 and read of the contest between him and Tommy Maguire for top ace in the Pacific.
I'm not sure if it's correct, but the version of the flight down Market Street that I read as a young boy was this: He went down Market street sideways at high speed, then pulled up and did the loop around the center of the Golden Gate bridge. This was during a time they had sent him home on a war bond drive because they were worried about the top ace being shot down. That was his way of getting in trouble so that they'd send him back to combat. Either way, having sat in a P-38 and understanding the sheer size of the plane (20 FEET more wingspan than a Mustang!) and having walked down Market Street, yeah, you'd have to be a real hot shot to fly between the office building in a plane that size at high speed!
Freedom is NOT Free. Sometimes it costs Everything.
Thank you.
All gave Some. Some gave All.
@@jamesburns2232 Yes, RIP
“It costs millions to win a war. To lose one takes everything you’ve got.” The sign over the main gate of US Naval Base in San Diego, Ca in 1942.
Maybe my most favorite History Guy episode yet! What an unbelievable story and life.
This is not forgotten history for me as I grew up near Superior and my family is great friends with the Bongs. They are dear remarkable people. If you are ever in the Superior area, be sure to see the museum. Indeed, it is far more than just a museum about Dick.
Then may I add, that a history of Soviet aces would be welcome. For example, that of Ivan Kozhedub. He is considered to have had the most kills among the Allies pilots.
WoW. That young man could fly! That being an understatement. Those are some serious awards he racked up for the various actions performed keeping in mind there were so many other actions not mentioned that were probably just as worthy of awards that were bypassed or even played down so as to not have more attention focused on him but towards the actions of his fellow pilots and the ground crews when maintained their warbirds. All that by what say age 23 and then becoming a test pilot for the early jet plane era? We lost a good on e far too soon that day. RiP. - Thanks History Guy for telling this forgotten story.
This has to be my favorite episode of the History Guy: I have tears streaming down my cheeks. Richard Bong State Recreation Area is near by and a favorite place. Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center is worth the visit.
I remember when they bought out all the famers, using eminent domain as needed, to build Bong Airbase. But then it was never completed, and was abandoned for years, before the state turned it into a recreation area. One of my farming greatuncles was displaced by that Air Force fiasco. Dick Bong deserved more of a memorial than an unfinished airbase bearing his name.
@@retiredyeti5555 I like to think Bong would have been honored to have a natural area named for him. He fought for peace, and the Bong Recreation Area is peaceful.
@@raymondwiggins354 - I agree.
A real hero!
I’m sick of hearing how lesser humans who do things like stand in front of a camera are heroes. That’s a hero.
Love everything you do, but especially the war stories. The greatest generation indeed.
I did a report on Dick Bong when I was in middle school and it's nice to see a History Guy episode about him. He does deserve to be remembered!
Absolutely great story told by one of the greatest historians! Thank you!
Here I am, an aging AF brat from the '50's and '60's, and I'm not familiar with Major Bong.
And he flew one of my favorite planes!
The story of his shooting the croc is movie worthy all by itself.
Great story and is a good lead in to a talk that Chris Henry gave for the Military Aviation Museum in October 2020.
Easy to find, as it has a very similar title to this one - Ace of Aces: The Story of Richard Bong.
Now I know of another great hero of the worst conflict in human history.
I have committed on your channel before. But sometimes one must speak up.
When I was 24 …. I was still acting like a child.
I had heard a Little of Bong but my god. What a Hero. Giving away credit, coming back from such of what had to be hard times. Then still giving up his life doing incredible work.
Thank you for your time and my continuing education when I watch and listen to you.
Stories like this, while they make me proud of my fellow countrymen also come with a tinge of sadness for how far we have fallen. The skill and more aptly, the guts of men like this are inspiring to a person like myself who wallowed in his early 20s. Stuff like this makes me realize whatever I have to do, it ain't that hard/bad and to just do it.
I read somewhere that the dogfighting principles taught at the Top Gun academy are, in part, based upon techniques used by Bong.
This "History Guy" fills a void of information I have missed out on in life. He's much appreciated.
There is a Richard Bong Museum in Superior Wisconsin with a replica of his plane. The Air Force was in the process of building a Airfield named after him in SE Wisconsin. When most of the grading had been completed it was cancelled. What was to be the main runway is still visible on Google Earth. Today it's Bong State Park, which gives a chuckle to many teenagers unaware of his exploits and the source of the park's name.
When I was a kid, my hero's weren't ball players, or actors. They were fighter pilots. Richard Bong was the biggest hero of them all. Actually, they still are.
If you ever find yourself in the area of Superior, Wisconsin stop by the Bong Museum, well worth the stop. We found it by accident in 2017 and were very surprised on how the museum spans multiple military eras.
Thank you. What an amazing pilot in an amazing time.
Bong’s greatest competitor for top ace status, Tommy McGwire, was from my home town and I’ve been told that he, like Bong, was a very humble and down to earth type as well who also died towards the end of the war. Pilots such as these will likely never be seen again!
They used to have Dick Bongs P-38 at the school in Poplar, Wisconsin. They don't have it there anymore, but they named Superior, WI airport in honor of Richard Ira Bong.
I was going to make that comment as well. I remember from childhood our family going from northern Wisconsin up to Duluth, and there it was. I I have missed seeing it there ever since they moved it... I think it's in a Museum in Superior now, displayed indoors with a lot of WWII memorabilia. Haven't gone to see it there yet.
@@easygoing2479 And of course there is the Bong bridge connecting Duluth, MN to Superior, WI over the St. Louis River.
I remember the Bong memorial at the Bois Brulee river bridge on US Hwy 2 east of Superior, Wi . It was a P-38 in a slip position. This was in 1975.
@@easygoing2479 My summer vacations while growing up were in Bayfield, WI. My parents grew up there. I grew up in NJ but left there 28 years ago n moved to Alabama. At least I could buy a farm in AL which I couldn't buy in either NJ or WI. Now that I'm retired maybe next summer I might just drive up there n see the sights n visit that museum in Superior.
The plane is restored and at the museum in Superior Wisconsin
Ironically he may have survived the war if they'd kept him flying combat missions.
It was the policy in the Western Allies to pull a pilot from combat after 40 confirmed victories. RAF ace Air Vice Marshal "Johnnie" Johnson springs to mind. For this reason it was common practice for top pilots to give away kills or encourage their crew chief to "forget" to put film in the gun cameras etc. to remain in combat. MAJ Gregory "Pappy" Boyington claimed (after the war) he'd shot down 63, including his Flying Tigers kills. But this is why US/RAF pilots had such lower totals compared with their opponents. The Germans had several pilots in triple digits including MAJ Erich Hartmann at 352 (!) despite a more strenuous verification process. They fought until they died, flying in some cases 5 sorties per day. The Japanese top ace, LTjg. Nishizawa had between 80 and 102 depending on whose figures you believe.
probly.....he KNEW HIS SKILLS, and eyesight, with hand/eye/brain totally in sync and coordinated. An unknown variable, is a 'test' plane. He KNEW THAT two-winged plane, he grew up with, and KNEW IT, INSIDE OUT.....
He died testing the P-80 Shooting Star shortly after the war ended sadly.
@@petersack5074 wtf flying combat mission is too risky but but testing a new jet isnt? morons man
@@llnam12 Well he knew his Lightening but he didn't know that jet, as well it being 'experimental' its , maintenance and servicibility was unknown to him. I bet he had his own, dedicated ground crew fixing his P38 !