Army & Navy: Thirty for Bong

Richard Ira Bong came home last spring with 27 enemy planes to his credit, the country’s leading ace. Soon cornfed, snub-nosed Dick Bong told home folks at Poplar, Wis. that he was through with combat flying. Lieut. General George Kenney had grounded him “because he didn’t want to see me get killed.” Major Bong settled down to a quiet life at gunnery school, while in Europe Lieut. Colonel Francis S. Gabreski shot down 28 planes, passing Bong’s record. (Later, Gabreski was captured.)

Last week came the news which surprised no one. Back on duty in the Southwest Pacific as a gunnery instructor, Dick Bong was in battle again. He had led Lightning fighters on a 1,500-mile raid to Balikpapan, the longest fighter operation ever attempted in the theater. Over Borneo 20 Jap planes had jumped U.S. heavy bombers. Bong and his P-38s piled in and drove them off. Instructor Bong’s personal score: two Japanese planes.

With belated but well verified credit for a 28th kill which he had made before he left the theater, Bong’s two kills last week brought his total to 30. In the great U.S. ace race, Dick Bong was out in front again.