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| USAF Former Assignment USAAF  Bong Heritage Center 2007  Kevin Rofidal 2008 |
Aircraft History Built by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation (LAC) in Burbank. Constructors Number 422-8491. On July 19, 1945 delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as P-38L-5-LO Lightning serial number 44-53236. On September 18, 1947 became part of the U.S. Air Force (USAF). This plane operated from Delaware, Ohio and Florida. In December 1948 stricken off charge. During December 1948, the Richard I. Bong American Legion Post No. 435 of Superior, Wisconsin requested a surplus P-38 Lightnig to creat a memorial to Major Richard I. Bong. This P-38 donated and flown by Donald Lopez to Duluth, Minnesota. During World War II, Donald Lopez was a fighter pilot assigned to the 23rd Fighter Group (23rd FG), 75th Fighter Squadron (75th FS). Display In July 1949, the P-38 was towed from Duluth, Minnesota to Poplar, Wisconsin the hometown Bong. While stored on the main street many items in the cockpit were removed as souvenirs. Later, installed on a pylon elevated above the ground. On May 22, 1955 the P-38 was dedicated as memorial to Bong by his former Commanding Officer (C.O.) General George C. Kenney in a ceremony attended by the Bong family, residents of Poplar and the surrounding area. By the early 1990s, after more than four decades outdoors, the P-38 was in poor condition and falling into disrepair. In November 1994, removed from the pylon and transported to Duluth Airport and restored by personnel from the 148th Fighter Wing (148th FW) of the Minnesota Air National Guard (MANG). The restoration project was under the direction of Lt. Colonel Bill Bordson and required over 16,000 volunteer hours of work to restore the plane to static condition. By September 1997, the plane was painted in the markings of P-38J "Marge" 42-103993 assigned to Major Richard I. Bong. On June 25, 2002 transported to the Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center (Bong P-38 Fund) and displayed inside a specially built building shaped like a hangar. At the rededication ceremony, ferry pilot Don Lopez was the special guest speaker and Marjorie "Marge" Drucker was in attendance. References USAF Serial Number Search Results - P-38L-5-LO Lightning 44-53236 "53236 at Richard Bong Memorial, Poplar, WI. Has been restored and now in Superior, WI at Richard I. Bong Veterans Heritage Center" P-38 Lightning 44-53236 - Richard I. Bong Heritage Center The Missions and P-38 Lightnings of Richard I. Bong: A Synopsis (2002) page 45 Contribute
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