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USAAF Associated Press (AP) August 6, 1945 |
Pilot Major Richard I. Bong, O-433784 (KIA, BR) Poplar, WI Crashed August 6, 1945 at 2:45pm Aircraft History Built by Lockheed in Burbank. Lockheed Constructors Number 080-1071. Constructors number 12660. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as P-80A-1-LO Shooting Star serial number 44-85048. Mission History On August 6, 1945 took off from Burbank Airfield piloted by Major Richard I. Bong on an acceptance flight. Shortly after take off suffered a fuel pump malfunction and Bong bailed out but was too low and his parachute failed to open before he hit the ground and was killed on impact at roughly 2:45pm. His plane crashed at into a narrow field at Oxnard Street and Satsuma Avenue in North Hollywood. Wreckage After the crash, an investigation of found that Bong had apparently forgot or was unable to switch the main fuel pump, which may have prevented the accident. Recovery of Remains Within 25 minutes of the crash, Bong's remains were taken to Filbach Mortuary in Burbank, CA. Memorials Bong is buried at Poplar Cemetery in Poplar, WI at block 8, lot 10, grave 2. References Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) Richard I. Bong USAF Serial Number Search Results - P-80A-1-LO Shooting Star 44-85048 "85048 crashed in North Hollywood, California Aug 6, 1945, killing Richard Bong, 40-kill ace. A fuel pump failed and Bong bailed out, but he was too low for his parachute to open and he was killed." Leader-Telegram "Major Bong Killed In Crash" (photo) "Maj. Bong Liked Plane in Which His Death Came" August 8, 1945 page 1 Yeager: An Autobiography (1986) by Chuck Yeager pages 227-228 (Bong), 425 (index Bong, Dick) Los Angeles Times "Marjorie Drucker, 79; Wife of World War II Ace Richard Bong" October 10, 2003 "But on Aug. 6, 1945, the same day that the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, the P-80 that Bong was testing stalled on takeoff. He was killed when he was forced to bail out at a low altitude." FindAGrave - Richard Ira Bong (photo, grave photos) Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated April 12, 2025 |
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