Richard Bong | Timeline

Richard 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. (Intro from Wikipedia)

September 24, 1920 - Superior, Wisconsin - Richard Ira Bong is born

January(?) 1(?), 1934 - Superior, Wisconsin - Enters Poplar High School

January(?) 1(?), 1938 - Superior, Wisconsin - Graduates from Central High School in Superior

October(?) 1(?), 1938 - Superior, Wisconsin - Begins studying at Superior State Teachers College and enrolls in the Civilian Pilot Training Program, also taking private flying lessons

May 29, 1941 - Wausau, Wisconsin - Bong enlists in the Army Air Corps Aviation Cadet Program =(START)

June 25, 1941 - near Tulare, California - Solo flight in a Stearman biplane trainer at Rankin Aeronautical Academy

January 19, 1942 - Northern California(?) - Commissioned a Second Lieutenant and awarded his pilot wings

January 25(?), 1942 - Luke Field, Arizona - First assignment - instructor (gunnery) pilot

May 6, 1942 - Hamilton Field, California - Operational assignment to the 49th Fighter Squadron, 14th Fighter Group, where he learns to fly the Lockheed P-38 Lightning

June 12, 1942 - Hamilton Field - Bong is temporarily grounded for "buzzing" over a house in San Anselmo

July 1(?), 1942 - Hamilton Field - Still grounded when his Fighter Group is sent to England

September 10, 1942 - Brisbane, Australia - Reports to Major General Kenney. Assigned to the 9th Fighter Squadron (flying P-40 Warhawks)
November 14, 1942 - Laloki airfield, near Port Moresby, New Guinea - Reassigned temporarily to fly missions and gain combat experience with the 39th Fighter Squadron
December 27, 1942 - Schwimmer Field, near Port Moresby - Captain Thomas Lynch leads a flight of 12 P-38a off Schwimmer Airstrip to intercept a flight of 40 japanese fighters and bombers over Buna on the northern coast of New Guinea. Bong shoots down a Mitsubishi A6M "Zero" and a Nakajima Ki-43 "Oscar". (2 total)
January 7, 1943 - Schwimmer Field - Shoots down two "Oscars". (4 total)
January 8, 1943 - Schwimmer Field - One japanese "oscar" shot down over Lae harbor. (5 total)
January 11, 1943 - Schwimmer Field - Rejoins 9th Fighter Squadron, equipped with P-38s
February 3, 1943 - Schwimmer Field - Returns from leave in Australia
March 3, 1943 - Schwimmer Field - Battle of the Bismarck Sea - Bong shoots down a "zero" while escorting B-17s and B-25s. (6 total)
March 11, 1943 - Schwimmer Field - Bong shoots down two "zeroes". (8 total)
March 29, 1943 - over the Bismarck Sea - Bong shoots down a japanese "Betty" bomber. (9 total)
April 6, 1943 - Schwimmer Field, near Port Moresby - Richard Bong is promoted to First Lieutenant
April 14, 1943 - Off Cape Frere - The Japanese move from their base at Rabaul, New Britain with 92 fighters, dive bombers and bombers to attack U.S. shipping at Milne Bay, New Guinea. Bong shoots down a G4M1 bomber. (10 total)
June 12, 1943 - 1 "Zero" shot down. (11 total)
July 21, 1943 - Schwimmer Field(?) - The 39th Fighter Squadron shoots down 11 japanese airplanes for a total of 104
July 26, 1943 - over Lae, E. Papua New Guinea - 1st Lieutenant Bong shoots down 4 japanese fighters over Lae. (15 Total)
July 28, 1943 - Off Cape Gloucester - 1 "Oscar" shot down while escorting B-25s over New Britain (his P-38 is damaged). (16 total)
August 24, 1943 - Australia - Promoted to Captain. Rest and Recuperation in Australia
September 6, 1943 - Mailinan Airstrip - Claims two bombers (not confirmed). Bong crash-lands at Mailinan airstrip
October 2, 1943 - over Cape Hoskins, New Britain - 1 "Dinah" shot down over Cape Hoskins, New britain. (17 total)
October 29, 1943 - over Rabaul - 2 "Zeroes" shot down over the japanese airfield at Rabaul. (19 total)
November 5, 1943 - over Rabaul - 2 "Zeroes" shot down over the japanese airfield at Rabaul. (21 total)
November 11, 1943 - United States - On leave until December (meets Marjorie "Marge" Vattendahl in Wisconsin)
December 15, 1943 - (While in the United States?) - The 39th Fighter Squadron is moved to Nadzab Airfield, New Guinea

Richard Bong and his P-38 "Marge"

January 1(?), 1944 - Nadzab Airfield, New Guinea - Bong returns to the Southwest Pacific. Names his P-38 "Marge" and adorns the nose with her photo
February 1(?), 1944 - Nadzab Airfield - Assigned to V Fighter Command HQ
February 15, 1944 - off Cape Hoskins, New Britain - 1 "Tony" shot down off Cape Hoskins, New Britain, on a flight back from an escort mission to Kavieng (22 total)
February 28, 1944 - Wewak, N. Papua New Guinea - Bong destroys a japanese transport full of officers on the runway at Wewak
March 3, 1944 - over Tadji, New Guinea - 2 "Sally" bombers shot down over Tadji, New Guinea. (24 total)
March 8, 1944 - over Aitape Harbor, N. Papua New Guinea - Without aerial opposition that day, Bong and his friend and mentor Tom Lynch fire at 6 barges, one of which is destroyed. When the two pilots come around for a second pass, Thomas J. Lynch is hit on one of his engines and crashes in the jungle, jumping too low for his parachute to fully open
April 3, 1944 - over Hollandia (Jayapura) - 1 "Zero" shot down over Hollandia. (25 total)
April 10, 1944 - Hollandia (Jayapura, N. New Guinea) - Letter to his mother and younger brother
April 12, 1944 - over Tanamerah Bay | Hollandia (Jayapura) - Bong shoots down three japanese aircraft for a total of 28. Richard Bong is promoted to Major
May 1(?), 1944 - United States - On leave in the US until July - pubilicy tours
June 7(?), 1944 - Washington D.C. - Major Richard Bong meets ETO ace Robert S. Johnson
September 10, 1944 - Hollandia (Jayapura, N. New Guinea) - Returns to New Guinea and reports to General Kenney at Hollandia. His assignment is "Advanced gunnery instructor". He is allowed to go on combat missions but with orders only to defend himself and not seek out the japanese
October 10, 1944 - over Balikpapan, Borneo - 2 aircraft shot down on a raid over Balikpapan (Borneo) oil refineries. General Kenney grounds Major Bong. (30 total)
October 27, 1944 - Tacloban, Leyte, Philippines - 9th Squadron fflies from Morotai Island (North Malukku) to Tacloban, Leyte, Philippines. 1 "Oscar" shot down off Biliran Island. (31 total)
October 28, 1944 - Off Leyte - 2 "Oscars" shot down off Leyte. (33 total)
November 10, 1944 - over Ormoc Bay - 1 "Oscar" shot down over Ormoc Bay. (34 total)
November 11, 1944 - Tacloban, Leyte - Bong shoots down two more japanese aircraft for a total of 36. He is recommended for the Medal of Honor
December 7, 1944 - over Ormoc - Bong shoots down a "Sally" and a "Tojo". (38 total)
December 12, 1944 - Tacloban, Leyte - Receives the Medal of Honor from General MacArthur
December 15, 1944 - Tacloban, Leyte - 1 "Oscar" shot down. (39 total)
December 16, 1944 - over Mindoro - 1 "Oscar" shot down. (40 total)
December 17, 1944 - Tacloban, Leyte - General Kenney finally grounds Major Bong and sends him to the United States. 40 victories, 7 probables and 11 damaged
December 24, 1944 - United States - Returns to the US on Christmas Eve to a hero's welcome
February 10, 1945 - Superior, Wisconsin - Richard Bong marries Marjorie Vattendahl
March(?) 1(?), 1945 - Wright-Patterson AB, Ohio - Assigned to the Flight Test Section at Wright-Patterson air base in Ohio, to work with the Lockheed P-80 jet fighter
June 1(?), 1945 - Burbank, California - Reports to Lockheed's plant in Burbank, California
August 6, 1945 - North Hollywood, California - Richard Ira Bong is killed in jet fighter prototype accident, aged 24 =(END)