Richard Bong

Richard Bong
Richard Bong
	Major Bong c. 1945
Birth name	Richard Ira Bong
Nickname(s)	"Dick" Bong
Born	September 24, 1920; Superior, Wisconsin, United States
Died	August 6, 1945 (aged 24); North Hollywood, California, United States
Buried	Poplar, Wisconsin, United States
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army Air Forces
Years of service	1941–1945
Rank	Major
Unit	49th Fighter Group
Battles/wars	World War II South West Pacific Theatre; Battle of Buna-Gona; Philippines campaign (1944–45);
Awards	Medal of Honor; Distinguished Service Cross; Silver Star (2); Distinguished Flying Cross (7); Air Medal (15)

Richard "Dick" Ira Bong (September 24, 1920 – August 6, 1945) was a United States Army Air Forces major and Medal of Honor recipient in World War II. He was one of the most decorated American fighter pilots and the country's top flying ace in the war, credited with shooting down 40 Japanese aircraft, all with the Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighter. He died in California while testing a Lockheed P-80 jet fighter shortly before the war ended. Bong was posthumously inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 1986 and has several commemorative monuments named in his honor around the world, including an airport, two bridges, a theater, a veterans historical center, a recreation area, a neighborhood terrace, and several avenues and streets, including the street leading to the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio.