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USAAF USAAF 1944  AP June 14, 1944 |
Aircraft History Built by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation (LAC) in Burbank. Constructors Number 422-4495. On May 30, 1944 delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as P-38J-20-LO Lightning serial number 44-23491. Project number 90745-R. On May 31, 1944 flown to Kingman Field. On June 1, 1944 flown to Amarillo, Texas. On June 2, 1944 flown to Nashville, TN. On June 3, 1944 flown to Bolling Field in Washington, D.C. and was assigned to Major Richard I. Bong as a substitute for P-38J Lightning 44-23488 for his use in the United States on a fifteen state war bond tour. Painted in the markings similar to P-38J "Marge" 42-103993 (first Marge) that he flew at the start of his second tour of duty in New Guinea. The left gun cover had a 20" x 24" photograph of his girlfriend Marjorie "Marge" Ann Vattendahl yearbook portrait enlarged and color tinted then glued and varnished to the panel. Nicknamed "Marge" (third Marge) in block letters in a triangular shape, different from the first Marge. In early June 1944, flown to Duluth Airport in Minnesota and photographed being refueled near Hangar 622. On June 10, 1944 took off from Superior Airfield (Bryn Ostby Airport, Richard I. Bong Airport) piloted by Major Richard I. Bong on a flight bound for Chicago to participate in a war bond drive. During the flight, he encountered bad weather and diverted to Madison. Returning, he buzzed Milwaukee including the Wisconsin Tower (606 Building) and according to the press account on The Milwaukee Journal "Major Richard Bong"June 11, 1944 his plane was "so close to buildings that some spectators thought he would hit them." Afterwards, he landed at Truax Airfield (Truax Army Airfield) where he was greeted by Major A. Bauer and autographed a dollar bill "short snorter" for Lt. Herbert Afromsky and was asked when he and his fiancee Marge Vattendahl would be married. Later that same day, Bong took off from Truax Airfield and flew back to Superior Airfield then spent the remainder of the weekend at home in Poplar, Wisconsin. On June 12, 1944 took off from Superior Airfield piloted by Major Richard I. Bong on a flight via Madison bound for Chicago to participate in another war bond drive. On June 14, 1944 at 4:10pm took off from an airfield in southern New Jersey on a short 25 minute flight landed at Allentown–Bethlehem Airport (Lehigh Valley International Airport) in Allentown, Pennsylvania to meet the family of Lt Col Thomas J. Lynch who went Missing In Action (MIA) on March 8, 1944 on a mission flown with Bong. After taxing, Bong met with Lynch's mother, Mrs. Alice S. Lynch and his two sisters Mary Lynch Oswald and Catherine Lynch and several family friends. Due to short notice for the meeting Lynch's father, William J. Lynch was unable to get to the airport from work. While they met, a crowd of airport employees and Naval trainees crowded around the plane. Before departing, Bong was photographed shaking hands with Mrs. Lynch in front of U.S. star and bar insignia on the right boom. At 5:25pm Bong took off and dipped his wing in salute and circled once then departed southward bound for Wilmington, NC. During the June 1944 flights, men and women at the various airfields where he landed had written their names all over the aircraft with pencil. Possibly, this P-38 was used by Bong when he attended Aerial and Ground Gunnery School at at Foster Field in Matagorda, Texas as an aerial superiority instructor and attended the course himself to learn the latest air combat and gunnery tactics. By early September 1944, Bong returned to the South West Pacific Area (SWPA) for his third tour of duty. This aircraft never left the United States and was presumably this plane was reassigned. Ultimate fate unknown, likely scrapped or otherwise disappeared. On August 12, 1944 flown to Santa Rosa, CA. On August 18, 1944 flown to McChord Field. On August 25, 1944 flown to Medford Airfield and two days later returns to McChord Field. On October 20, 1944 flown to Lemoore Airfield and the same day flown to Santa Maria. During December 1944, flown to Gardner Army Airfield and scrapped. References Individual Aircraft Record Card (IARC) - P-38J Lightning 42-104380 via AFHRA microfilm reel ACR-100 "Date: 6-3 [June 3, 1944] / Remarks: This ap [airplane] del [delivered] to Bolling Fld [Bolling Field] for Major Bong to sub [substitute] for 23588 [P-38J 44-23588]." USAF Serial Number Search Results - P-38J-20-LO Lightning 44-23491 "23491 flown by Richard Bong during his time stateside between his 2nd and 3rd combat tours (May to Sep 1944) and used to promote the sale of war bonds." The Milwaukee Journal "Major Richard Bong"June 11, 1944 page 1 (photo) "Major Richard Bong, 23, buzzed the city at 3:30pm Saturday [June 9, 1944] in a silvery [P-38] Lightning fighter plane to boost the fifth war loan drive. The air ace from Poplar, Wis., flew so close to buildings that some spectators thought he would hit them. The P-38 is shown fanning the Wisconsin Tower building [Schroeder Hotel, today Hilton Milwaukee City Center]. –Journal Staff" The Capital Times "Maj. Bong, Air Ace, Visits Truax" June 11, 1944 page 1 The Capital Times "Maj. Bong Flying to Madison Today, He Says" June 12, 1944 page 1 "Superior, Wis. –(AP)– Maj. Richard I. Bong, who spent the weekend at his farm home near Poplar, left Superior airport today with the comment that he was Madison-bound. He returned home Saturday after turning back from a Chicago flight at Milwaukee." The Morning Call "Meeting at Allentown–Bethlehem Airport – Major Richard I. Bong Here To See Mrs. William J. Lynch, Mother of Late Catasauqua Flier-Ace" June 14, 1944 page 4 "The ship that he was flying is a replica of the plane with its five guns in the nose that he used in blazing away at Jap Zero pilots. He is credited with downing 27 planes [sic 28 by the end of his second tour of duty]. And though he has had the Lightning only for a short time, men and women at the various fields where he has been have scribbled their names all over the ship." Daily News "Mrs. Thomas Lynch greets Major Richard I. Bong" June 15, 1944 page 557 (photo) Memories: The Story of Dick and Bong: A Love Story (1995) by Bong Drucker pages 27 (third ) The Missions and P-38 Lightnings of Richard I. Bong: A Synopsis (2002) page 36A (lower photo) Contribute
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