Captain Richard I. Bong Aerial Victory Claims, November 5, 1943
First Tour of Duty

Mission History
On November 5, 1943 took off from Horanda Drome (Dobodura 4) piloting P-38H Lightning 42-66847 Squadron Number 79 as one of eleven P-38s that landed at Kiriwina Airfield to refuel then took off again to escort B-24 Liberators from 43rd Bombardment Group (43rd BG) over Rabaul. Bong was leading "Red Flight" with wingman 2nd Lt. George C. Haniotis, element leader 1st Lt. Ralph H. Wandrey and element wingman no. 4 Charles McElroy. The mission was in in conjunction with U.S. Navy (USN) carrier planes of Task Force 38 (TF 38) from USS Saratoga (CV-3) and USS Princeton (CVL-23) striking Japanese warships in Simpson Harbor.

At 2:15pm over the target area at 20,000' the P-38s spot approximately fifteen Zeros below and released their drop tanks and dove to intercept. Diving, Bong attacked from the rear and fired a short burst in the last Zero in the formation from only 100 yards away and caused it to explode. Next, Bong fired a long burst into another Zero that Split-S but never pulled out and exploded at roughly 5,000'. Bong also fired on two other Zeros without result then broke off low on ammunition and fuel. During the dog fight, P-38F "Sooner" 42-12655 pilot 2nd Lt. George C. Haniotis went Missing In Action (MIA).

Returning, the P-38s landed at Kiriwina Airfield to refuel then flew back to Horanda Drome for a total of 6 hours 15 minutes airborne. For administrative purposes, recorded as three separate missions: 1. Dobodura–Kiriwina, 2. Kiriwina–Rabaul–Kiriwina and 3. Kiriwina–Dobodura.

Claims
Bong claiming two Zeros shot down, the only claims by the squadron. Bong was officially credited with his twenty and twenty-first aerial victories. He reported the Zeros he engaged "black with brown camouflage" and "appeared to be old planes" and flown by pilots who were "inexperienced and unwilling to engage in combat".

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)
Individual Flight Record (Logbook) - Richard I. Bong, November 5, 1943
"11/5 / P-38 / Escort B-24s to Rabaul. Shot two Zekes in flames. Lt. Haniotis my wingman is misisng so far."
Stars & Bars: A Tribute To The American Fighter Ace 1920–1973 (1995) page 154 (Bong victories 20-21: November 5, 1943)
Ken’s Men Against The Empire Volume II (2019) pages 31-34, 32 (photo Rabaul 11/5/43)

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