Captain Richard I. Bong Aerial Victory No. 40
Oscar (Type 1 Fighter / Ki-43 Oscar), December 17, 1944
Third Tour of Duty

Mission History
On December 17, 1944 at 1450 took off from Dulag Airfield on Leyte piloting a P-38L-1 Lightning with a pair of drop tanks leading "Daddy Flight" with wingman P-38 piilot Major Jack B. Rittmayer over Mindoro flying with P-38s from the 475th Fighter Group “Satan’s Angels”, 431st Fighter Squadron (431st FS) “Hades”. Over the target, they intercepted a pair of Oscars. Bong claimed one Oscar shot down, his fortieth aerial victory claim.

Claims
Bong was officially credited with one Oscar his forty aerial victory, his last aerial victory of World War II.

References
Major Richard I. Bong Aerial Victory Claims
USAF Historical Study No. 85 USAF Credits For The Destruction of Enemy Aircraft, World War II Alphabetical: Bong, Richard I. pages 25 (PDF page 30) Chronological List: 12/17/44 page 487 (PDF page 492)
Individual Flight Record (Logbook) - Richard I. Bong, December 17, 1944 via Dear Mom: So We Have A War appendix 22-23
Stars & Bars: A Tribute To The American Fighter Ace 1920–1973 (1995) page 155 (Bong victories 40: December 17, 1944)

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