OSHKOSH, WI (KDAL) – A piece of a P-38 fighter plane flown in World War II by America’s Top Ace, Richard Bong, has been recovered from the jungles of New Guinea and is heading to the Bong Veterans Historical Center in Superior.
Bong is credited with shooting down 40 enemy aircraft in the plane he named “Marge” for his girl friend and future wife.
The plane was being flown on a weather reconnaissance mission by another pilot in 1944 when it crashed in New Guinea. The wreckage was found two years ago by an organization called Pacific Wrecks.
The plane’s wingtip and the recovery team was flown back to the U-S by the Wisconsin National Guard in a KC-135 Stratotanker.
The “Marge” artifact will be showcased this week at the world’s largest air show, the EAA Air Venture in Oshkosh.
The wingtip will then be featured in Bong’s hometown of Poplar on Sunday, July 26th at the Bong Historical Marker.
The artifact then makes it way to its permanent home, the Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center in Superior where a replica P-38 “Marge” is on display.
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