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USAAF USAAF June 7, 1944  USAAF June 1944   USAAF June 12, 1944  AP June 14, 1944 |
Aircraft History Built by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation (LAC) in Burbank. Constructors Number 422-4495. On May 30, 1944 delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as P-38J-20-LO Lightning serial number 44-23491. Project number 90745-R. On May 31, 1944 flown to Kingman Field. On June 1, 1944 flown to Amarillo, Texas. On June 2, 1944 flown to Nashville, Tennessee. On June 3, 1944 flown to Bolling Field in Washington, D.C. and assigned to Major Richard I. Bong as a substitute for P-38J Lightning 44-23488 for his use in the United States on a fifteen state war bond tour. On June 7, 1944 took off from from Bolling Field piloted by Bong on a flight to Superior Airport and landed in the evening after 4 hours and 14 minutes. This plane was photographed parked at the airport with a crowd gathered. On June 8, 1944 at 7:00pm while parked at Superior Airport, the enlarged photograph of his girlfriend Marjorie "Marge" Ann Vattendahl yearbook portrait was adhered to the left gun cover by Superior Junior Chamber of Commerce, under the direction of Ted Gunderson, president, and Dr. Paul Miller Bong's first pre-flight instructor at Superior State Teachers College (today University of Wisconsin–Superior). Nicknamed "Marge" (Third Marge) in block letters in a triangular shape with a white border painted by George M. Janicki. The nickname was different than the style painted on P-38J "Marge" 42-103993 (First Marge) that he flew at the start of his second tour of duty in New Guinea. On June 9, 1944 a few minutes before noon took off from Superior Airport piloted by Major Richard I. Bong on a local flight and was permitted to fly at low level to buzz his hometown of Poplar and nearby Superior flying over two shipyards, Tower Avenue and the home of "Marge" Ann Vattendahl and residential areas. He also flew to Ashland and back in 25 minutes then landed after a flight of 1 hour 30 minutes. On June 10, 1944 in the morning, took off from Superior Airport piloted by Major Richard I. Bong and performed a solo airshow climbing high into the clouds then diving, performed loops and "Chinese flying" (one wing low) and other stunts and flew to Poplar and back while waiting for an item he forgot to be delivered to the airport. Shortly before noon took off from Superior Airport piloted by Major Richard I. Bong and made a final flight over Superior then departed on a flight over Milwaukee then onward to Chicago for the upcoming Fifth War Bond Drive. Due to bad weather, he instead landed at Truax Airfield. During the 20 minute refueling stop, he was greeted by Major A. Bauer and autographed a dollar bill "short snorter" for Lt. Herbert Afromsky and was asked when he and his fiancee Marge Vattendahl would be married. Advise the weather had improved, Bong took off from Truax Airfield bound for Milwaukee then onward to Chicago as the weather had improved. Meanwhile at noon in Milwaukee crowds gathered on rooftops to see his plane. Flying over Milwaukee, Bong buzzed the Wisconsin Tower (606 Building) and according to the press account on The Milwaukee Journal "Major Richard Bong" June 11, 1944 his plane was "so close to buildings that some spectators thought he would hit them." Afterwards, flew back to Superior Airfield. The flight was 4 hours 30 minutes. Bong spent the remainder of the weekend at home in Poplar, Wisconsin. On June 12, 1944 at 9:15am took off from Superior Airfield piloted by Major Richard I. Bong in heavy fog and flew to Duluth Airport to refuel then took off again on a flight via Madison bound for Chicago to participate in the Fifth War Bond Drive. The flight was 5 hours 15 minutes. On June 13, 1944 took off on a flight 2 hours 30 minutes. On June 14, 1944 at 4:10pm took off from an airfield in southern New Jersey on a short 25 minute flight landed at Allentown–Bethlehem Airport (Lehigh Valley International Airport) in Allentown, Pennsylvania to meet the family of Lt Col Thomas J. Lynch who went Missing In Action (MIA) on March 8, 1944 on a mission flown with Bong. After taxing, Bong met with Lynch's mother, Mrs. Alice S. Lynch and his two sisters Mary Lynch Oswald and Catherine Lynch and several family friends. Due to short notice for the meeting Lynch's father, William J. Lynch was unable to get to the airport from work. While they met, a crowd of airport employees and Naval trainees crowded around the plane. Before departing, Bong was photographed shaking hands with Mrs. Lynch in front of U.S. star and bar insignia on the right boom. At 5:25pm Bong took off and dipped his wing in salute and circled once then departed southward bound for Wilmington, NC. During the June 1944 flights, men and women at the various airfields where he landed had written their names all over the aircraft with pencil. Likely, this P-38 was used by Bong when he attended Aerial and Ground Gunnery School at at Foster Field in Matagorda, Texas as an aerial superiority instructor and attended the course himself to learn the latest air combat and gunnery tactics until early August 1944 when Bong departed for his third tour of duty in the Philippines. Afterwards, this plane remained in the United States. On August 12, 1944 flown to Santa Rosa, CA. On August 18, 1944 flown to McChord Field. On August 25, 1944 flown to Medford Airfield and two days later returns to McChord Field. On October 20, 1944 flown to Lemoore Airfield and the same day flown to Santa Maria. During December 1944, flown to Gardner Field. Ultimate fate unknown, likely scrapped or otherwise disappeared. References Individual Aircraft Record Card (IARC) - P-38J Lightning 42-104380 via AFHRA microfilm reel ACR-100 "Date: 6-3 [June 3, 1944] / Remarks: This ap [airplane] del [delivered] to Bolling Fld [Bolling Field] for Major Bong to sub [substitute] for 23588 [P-38J 44-23588]." USAF Serial Number Search Results - P-38J-20-LO Lightning 44-23491 The Evening Telegram "Excitement Intense When P-38 Lands Here" June 8, 1944 page 1 (photo) "Thousands of Superiorites thronged to the Superior Municipal Airport to see Major Richard Ira Bong's silver P-38, after it landed at the airport Wednesday [June 7, 1944] evening." The Evening Telegram "'Marge' Again Accompanies Bong on Flights" June 9, 1944 page 1 (photos) "For the second time an enlarged picture of Marjorie Vattendahl graces one of Major Richard I. Bong's P-38 Lightnings. The Superior Junior Chamber of Commerce, under the direction of Ted Gunderson, president, and Dr. Paul Miller, Bong's first pre-flight instructor at Superior State college, arranged to have the picture of the Ace flier's fiancee glued to his plane at the Superior Airport about 7 p.m. Thursday." The Evening Telegram "Bong Here, There and Everywhere" June 12, 1944 page 1, 2 "Hopping around Wisconsin like a sand-flea, Major Richard Ira Bong, leading air ace of this war, thrilled and bewildered residents of the state during the week-end." The Milwaukee Journal "Major Richard Bong" June 11, 1944 page 1 (photo) "Major Richard Bong, 23, buzzed the city at 3:30pm Saturday [June 9, 1944] in a silvery [P-38] Lightning fighter plane to boost the fifth war loan drive. The air ace from Poplar, Wis., flew so close to buildings that some spectators thought he would hit them. The P-38 is shown fanning the Wisconsin Tower building [Schroeder Hotel, today Hilton Milwaukee City Center]. –Journal Staff" The Capital Times "Maj. Bong, Air Ace, Visits Truax" June 11, 1944 page 1 The Capital Times "Maj. Bong Flying to Madison Today, He Says" June 12, 1944 page 1 "Superior, Wis. –(AP)– Maj. Richard I. Bong, who spent the weekend at his farm home near Poplar, left Superior airport today with the comment that he was Madison-bound. He returned home Saturday after turning back from a Chicago flight at Milwaukee." The Morning Call "Meeting at Allentown–Bethlehem Airport – Major Richard I. Bong Here To See Mrs. William J. Lynch, Mother of Late Catasauqua Flier-Ace" June 14, 1944 page 4 "The ship that he was flying is a replica of the plane with its five guns in the nose that he used in blazing away at Jap Zero pilots. He is credited with downing 27 planes [sic 28 by the end of his second tour of duty]. And though he has had the Lightning only for a short time, men and women at the various fields where he has been have scribbled their names all over the ship." Daily News "Mrs. Thomas Lynch greets Major Richard I. Bong" June 15, 1944 page 557 (photo) Dear Mom: So We Have a War (1991) Appendix pages 20-21 [Individual Military Flight Record Major Bong, June 1944–August 1944] Memories: The Story of Dick and Bong: A Love Story (1995) by Bong Drucker pages 27 (third ) The Missions and P-38 Lightnings of Richard I. Bong: A Synopsis (2002) page 36A (lower photo) Forward in Flight "Mission: Marge Richard Bong’s Legendary P-38 Rediscovered" Summer 2026 Volume 24, Issue 2 pages 22 (photo), 23-25 [PDF] Contribute
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