Major Richard I. Bong
U.S. Army Air Force, 5th Air Force, 49th Fighter Group, 9th Fighter Squadron and 5th Fighter Command (V Fighter Command)
Aerial Victory Claims

Aerial Victory Claims
Major Richard I. Bong was credited with a a total of 40 aerial victories and was America's highest scoring fighter pilot of World War II. All of his aerial victory claims were air-to-air flying the P-38 Lightning in the South West Pacific Area (SWPA).

In total, Bong flew 211 combat missions in the South West Pacific Area (SWPA). Some longer missions that included refueling stops were divided into multiple missions for administrative purposes. Only 28 missions (13% of his combat missions) did he claim aerial victories, probables or damaged aircraft.

First Tour of Duty

Victory	Date	Time	Location	Claim	Notes on Aerial Victory Claim	Aircraft Flown
1	12/27/42	1210	Dobodura	D3A Val	1st victory A6M Zero of 582 Kōkūtai.	P-38F 42-12644
2	12/27/42	1210	Dobodura	A6M Zero [sic]	2nd victory Ki-43-I Oscar of 11th Sentai.	P-38F 42-12644
	12/31/42	1235	Lae	A6M Zero [sic]	Probable claim Ki-43-I Oscar of 11th Sentai.	P-38F 42-12624
3	01/07/43	1315	Huon Gulf	Ki-43-I Oscar	3rd victory Ki-43-I Oscar.	P-38F 42-12624
4	01/07/43	1530	Huon Gulf	Ki-43-I Oscar	4th victory Ki-43-I Oscar.	P-38F 42-12624
	01/07/43	1530	Huon Gulf	Ki-43-I Oscar	Probable claim.	P-38F 42-12624
	01/07/43	1530	Huon Gulf	Ki-43-I Oscar	Claimed as damaged.	P-38F 42-12624
5	01/08/43	1800	Huon Gulf	Ki-43-I Oscar	5th victory, became an "ace".	P-38F 42-12653
6	03/03/43	1015	Huon Gulf	Ki-43-I Oscar	6th victory.	P-38G-5
	03/03/43	1015	Huon Gulf	Ki-43-I Oscar	Probable claim.	P-38G-5
7	03/11/43	1050	Oro Bay	A6M Zero	7th victory in the vicinity of Oro Bay.	P-38G-15
8	03/11/43	1050	Bismarck Sea	A6M Zero	8th victory in the vicinity of Gasmata.	P-38G-15
	03/11/43	1050	Bismarck Sea	A6M Zero	Probable claim.	P-38G-15
	03/11/43	1050	Bismarck Sea	G4M1 Betty	Claimed as damaged.	P-38G-15
9	03/29/43	1145	Bismarck Sea	Doris [sic]	9th victory Ki-46 Dinah.	P-38G-5
10	04/14/43	1230	Cape Frere	G4M1 Betty	10th victory. Earned Air Medal.	P-38G-5
	04/14/43	1230	Cape Frere	G4M1 Betty	Probable victory claim.	P-38G-5
11	06/12/43	0935	Bena Bena	Ki-43 Oscar	11th aerial victory.	P-38G-5
	06/12/43	0935	Bena Bena	Ki-43 Oscar	Claimed as damaged.	P-38G-5
12	07/26/43	1350	Markham Valley	Ki-61 Tony	12th aerial victory.	P-38G-5
13	07/26/43	1350	Markham Valley	Ki-61 Tony	13th aerial victory.	P-38G-5
14	07/26/43	1410	Markham Valley	A6M Zero [sic]	14th aerial victory likely Ki-43-II Oscar.	P-38G-5
15	07/26/43	1410	Markham Valley	A6M Zero [sic]	15th aerial victory likely Ki-43-II Oscar.	P-38G-5
16	07/28/43	0830	Rein Bay	Ki-43 Oscar	16th aerial victory.	P-38G-5 #73
	09/06/43	1400	Morobe	G4M1 Betty	Probable victory.	P-38H-1 #79
	09/06/43	1400	Morobe	G4M1 Betty	Probable victory.	P-38H-1 #79
17	10/02/43	0925	Cape Hoskins	Ki-46 Dinah	17th aerial victory.	P-38H
18	10/29/43	1230	Rabaul	A6M Zero	18th aerial victory.	P-38H-5
19	10/29/43	1230	Open Bay	A6M Zero	19th aerial victory.	P-38H-5
	10/29/43	1230	Open Bay	A6M Zero	Claimed as damaged.	P-38H-5
20	11/05/43	1215	Rabaul	A6M Zero	20th aerial victory.	P-38H 42-66847
21	11/05/43	1215	Rabaul	A6M Zero	21st aerial victory.	P-38H 42-66847

Second Tour of Duty

Victory	Date	Time	Location	Claim	Notes on Aerial Victory Claim	Aircraft Flown
22	02/15/44	1055	Cape Hoskins	Ki-61 Tony [sic]	22nd victory D4Y1 Judy	P-38J 42-103993
23	03/03/44	1800	Tadji Airfield	Ki-21 Sally	23rd victory.	P-38J 42-103993
24	03/03/44	1815	Tadji	Ki-21 Sally	24th victory.	P-38J 42-103993
	03/05/44	1325	Dagua Airfield	Ki-43 Oscar	Probable victory.	P-38J 42-103993
	03/05/44	1340	Dagua Airfield	Ki-43 Oscar	Claimed as damaged.	P-38J 42-103993
25	04/03/44	1130	Hollandia	Ki-43 Oscar	25th victory.	P-38J
26	04/12/44	1145	Tanahmerah Bay	Ki-43 Oscar	26th victory.	P-38J 42-104012
27	04/12/44	1145	Hollandia	Ki-43 Oscar	27th victory.	P-38J 42-104012
28	04/12/44	1145	Hollandia	Ki-43 Oscar	28th victory, reportedly confirmed by divers.	P-38J 42-104012

Third Tour of Duty

Victory	Date	Time	Location	Claim	Notes on Aerial Victory Claim	Aircraft Flown
29	10/10/44	1050	Manggar Airfield	Sally/Irving	29th victory J1N1 Irving 381 Kōkūtai, S902	P-38L 44-23964
30	10/10/44	1105	Manggar	Ki-43 Oscar	30th victory.	P-38L 44-23964
31	10/27/44	1720	Biliran Island	Ki-43 Oscar	31st victory.	P-38J
32	10/28/44	1615	Leyte Island	Ki-43 Oscar	32nd victory.	P-38J
33	10/28/44	1650	Masbate Island	Ki-43 Oscar	33rd victory.	P-38J
	10/28/44	1650	Masbate Island	Ki-43 Oscar	Claimed as damaged.	P-38J
	10/28/44	1650	Masbate Island	Ki-43 Oscar	Claimed as damaged.	P-38J
34	11/10/44	0815	Ormoc Bay	Ki-61 Tony	34th victory.	P-38L 44-23964
35	11/11/44	1235	Ormoc Bay	A6M Zero	35th victory.	P-38L 44-23964
36	11/11/44	1235	Ormoc Bay	A6M Zero	36th victory.	P-38L 44-23964
37	12/07/44	1505	Bohol Island	Ki-21 Sally	37th victory.	P-38L-1
38	12/07/44	1610	Ormoc Bay	Ki-44 Tojo	38th victory.	P-38L-1
39	12/15/44	0811	Panubulon Island	Ki-43 Oscar	39th victory.	P-38L-1
40	12/17/44	1625	San Jose	Ki-43 Oscar	40th victory.	P-38L-1

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