Bong, Richard Ira, MAJ

Richard Ira "Dick" Bong is the United States' highest-scoring air ace, having shot down at least 40 Japanese aircraft during World War II. Bong was a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Force,  U.S.  and was a recipient of the Medal of Honor.

Bong then became a test pilot for the US Army Air Force assigned to Lockheed's Burbank, California plant flying P-80 Shooting Star jet fighters at the Lockheed Air Terminal. On August 6, 1945, the primary fuel pump sheared during takeoff on the acceptance flight of P-80A 44-85048. Bong had forgotten or could not switch to the auxiliary fuel pump.  Bong successfully escaped the aircraft, but was too low for his parachute to successfully deploy and he fell to his death. His death was front-page news across the country, sharing space with the first news of the bombing of Hiroshima.

Rank and organization: Major, U.S. Army Air Corps.

Place and date: Over Borneo and Leyte, 10 October to 15 November 1944. 
Entered service at: Poplar, Wis. Birth: Poplar, Wis. G.O. No.: 90, 8 December 1944.

Citation:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action above and beyond the call of duty in the Southwest Pacific area from 10 October to 15 November 1944. Though assigned to duty as gunnery instructor and neither required nor expected to perform combat duty, Maj. Bong voluntarily and at his own urgent request engaged in repeated combat missions, including unusually hazardous sorties over Balikpapan, Borneo, and in the Leyte area of the Philippines. His aggressiveness and daring resulted in his shooting down 8 enemy airplanes during this period.