Richard I Bong

The squadron at Detroit . 925 is named after Major Richard Ira Bong. He was born in Superior , Wisconsin , on September 24, 1920, the first of nine children of Carl and Dora Bong of Poplar, Wisconsin . Brought up on a farm, he was educated through grade eleven in the Poplar State-Grade School, completing his 12th year and graduating from Superior Central High School .

He enrolled at Superior State College (now University of Wisconsin-Superior) where he received Civil Aeronautics training and earned his private pilot's license.

On May 29, 1941, Bong Joined the Army Air Corps and, following flight training was hand-picked by General George C. Kenney to fly one of fifty P-38's under his command.

On September 5, 1942, Bong reported for duty with a fighter wing in New Guinea , and from 1942 to 1944 he shot down 40 enemy aircraft and became the leading American air ace of all time.

Withdrawn from the Pacific theater by General Kenney, he was assigned to Burbank , California , as a test pilot for Lockheed Aircraft. On August 6, 1945, the same day the atomic age was unleashed at Hiroshima , Bong was killed in the P-80 Shooting Star when his aircraft crashed on the take-off roll. He was buried in the Poplar Cemetery August 8.

Major Bong wore the following ribbons and medals: Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Medal with 12 Oak Leaf Clusters, Pre-Pearl Harbor Ribbon, American Defense Ribbon, Asiatic-Pacific Ribbon with 2 battle stars, Presidential Citation, and Distinguished Air Medal from Britain .