May 24th 2024.
A recent update has been made public, revealing that searchers have potentially located the wreckage of Richard Bong's plane from World War II in the South Pacific. The Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Centre in Superior, Wisconsin and the nonprofit organization Pacific Wrecks joined forces in March to launch a joint search for Bong's Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighter. This particular plane was affectionately nicknamed "Marge" by Bong himself, in honor of his beloved girlfriend Marge Vattendahl.
The unfortunate event occurred in March of 1944, when pilot Thomas Malone was flying the plane over what is now known as Papua New Guinea. An engine failure caused the plane to spiral out of control and Malone was forced to bail out before the plane ultimately crashed into the dense jungle below. However, the search team, led by Pacific Wrecks Director Justin Taylan, made a groundbreaking discovery on May 15th in the Madang Province of Papua New Guinea. Taylan shared photos of himself in the jungle, surrounded by scattered pieces of metal on the ground.
In one particular photo, Taylan points to a wing tip that is believed to be from the plane, with the numbers "993" clearly stamped on it - which happen to be the last three digits of the plane's serial number. Upon closer inspection, there are markings that appear to be two "9s" on the wing tip, however they are difficult to make out due to potential dirt or rust. Another photo shows a piece of metal with the words "Model P-38 JK" etched onto it.
During a video news conference from Papua New Guinea, Taylan confidently stated that the serial number and model identification confirm that this is indeed Marge, "without a doubt". He went on to express his excitement, saying "I think it's safe to say mission accomplished. Marge has been identified and it's a great day for the centre, a great day for Pacific Wrecks, and a great day for history."
After enduring a long hike through the unforgiving jungle, the explorers eventually stumbled upon the wreckage in a ravine. At the top of the ravine, they discovered two aircraft engines partially buried in the ground, indicating that the plane had crashed nose-first and became embedded in the ground. It's worth noting that the red paint on the wing tips, which Bong had personally painted himself, was still visible on the wreckage.
Bong, a native of Poplar, Wisconsin, is famously credited with shooting down 40 Japanese aircraft during his time in the war. He had a special connection with his plane, as he had a portrait of his girlfriend Marge plastered onto the nose of it. As a result, he is recognized as the American pilot with the most confirmed kills during World War II. In fact, he was even awarded the Medal of Honor by General Douglas MacArthur in 1944 for his bravery and achievements.
Interestingly enough, Taylan also revealed that Bong had shot down three planes while flying Marge. After the war, Bong and Vattendahl eventually got married in 1945. Bong was then reassigned to work as a test pilot in Burbank, California after completing three tours of duty in the South Pacific. Unfortunately, his life was cut short on August 6th, 1945 when the P-80 jet fighter he was testing crashed. Tragically, he passed away on the same day the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima.
At the time of Bong's untimely death, Marge was just 21 years old. She went on to become a model and a magazine publisher in Los Angeles before she passed away in September of 2003 in Superior, Wisconsin. In honor of Bong's legacy, a bridge connecting Superior and Duluth, Minnesota was named after him, as well as a state recreation area in southeastern Wisconsin. In a news release, Bong's nephew, James Bong, expressed his excitement about the recent discovery, stating "The Bong family is very excited about this discovery. It is amazing and incredible that 'Marge' has been found and identified."
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