1st Lt. Richard I. Bong Aerial Victory Claims, July 26, 1943
First Tour of Duty

Mission History
On July 26, 1943 at midday 1st Lt. Richard I. Bong took off from Horanda Drome (Dobodura 4) piloting a P-38G-5 Lightning serial number unknown leading "Blue Flight" as one of twelve P-38s from the squadron on an intercept mission bound for the Salamaua area. Bong was flying as part of "Blue Flight". Over the Markham Valley engaged in air combat with Japanese fighters. Bong claimed four enemy planes shot down. At 1:50pm two Zeros (sic Ki-43 Oscars) and at 2:10pm two "inline fighters" [Ki-61 Tonys]. In total, the Americans claimed eleven victories (including seven Ki-61 Tonys) plus additional claims for probables and damaged enemy fighters.

Japanese Side
On July 26, 1943 at morning, the Japanese Army Air Force (JAAF) at Wewak launched an air raid by seven Ki-48 Lily from 208th Sentai (208th Flying Regiment) with close escort by fourteen Type 1 fighters / Ki-43 Oscars from 1st Hiko Sentai (1st Flying Regiment) plus indirect support from twenty Type 3 Hein / Ki-61 Tony from 68th Hiko Sentai (68th Flying Regiment) and 78th Hiko Sentai (78th Flying Regiment) plus a handful of Ki-43 Oscars from 24th Sentai (24th Flying Regiment) under Capt. Shoji Miura on a mission to support Japanese Army in the Salamaua area.

Over the Markham Valley the indirect support force spotted twenty-five P-38 Lightnings from 9th Fighter Squadron (9th FS) and 39th Fighter Squadron (39th FS) and climbed to gain an altitude advantage before their first pass. During the dog fight, no P-38s were shot down but one P-38 sustained damage and after landing was written off. Another P-38 force landed wheels up without hydraulics, Several Japanese fighters were damaged and a couple pilots wounded with several landing away from their bases and later returned to Wewak.

Claims
Bong claimed four aerial victories (two Zeros and two Tonys "inline"). He was officially credited with four aerial victories, his twelve, thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth victories.

Analysis
Since none of the Japanese planes engaged were shot down, none of the U.S. claims on July 26, 1943 are valid. Even counting the several damaged and couple pilots wounded does not equal the day's claims nor Bong's claims for four shot down.

Awards
For his actions, Bong earned the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) awarded October 20, 1943.

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, July 26, 1943
"7-26 / P-38 / Shot down inline in flames, shot down Zero in flames, shot down Zero out of control, shot down inline out of control. All over Markham Valley about 10 miles back of Lai [sic Lae] saw about 20 Nips but there were about 50 of them."
1st Lt. Richard I. Bong Individual Flight Record (Form 5) July 1943
Combat Report Mission No. 430, 26 July 1943 via Dear Mom: So We Have A War page 257
Lockheed Aircraft Corporation Advertisement - DSC Citation Captain Richard R. [sic I.] Bong
USAF Historical Study No. 113 "The Fifth Air Force in the Huon Peninsula Campaign January to October 1943" (1946) pages 182-183 (July 26, 1943), 275 (Chapter 7, Footnote 27)
Dear Mom: So We Have A War (1991) by Carl Bong pages 257-259
Stars & Bars: A Tribute To The American Fighter Ace 1920–1973 (1995) page 155 (Bong victories 12-15: July 26, 1943)
RLDunn "Getting the Type 3 Fighter into Action" (2026) by Richard Dunn
Thanks to Richard Dunn for additional research and analysis

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