The Remarkable Life and Tragic Death of Major Richard Bong, America’s Top Ace

Award-winning military historian and Skywarrior Media creator Bruce Gamble has released a compelling new video chronicling the extraordinary life and tragic death of Major Richard Bong, America’s top fighter ace. Supported by the Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center, the production offers a richly detailed tribute to a humble farm boy from Wisconsin who became a national hero. Major Bong earned his place in history during World War II by scoring 40 confirmed aerial victories in the Pacific Theater, all while piloting the formidable Lockheed P-38 Lightning. His unmatched skill and daring in the skies over the Solomon Islands and New Guinea made him a legend among his peers and a symbol of American airpower.

Despite surviving three grueling combat tours, Bong’s life was cut short on August 6, 1945—the very day the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima—when the Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star he was test-flying crashed in Burbank, California. Gamble’s video takes a closer look at the circumstances surrounding the fatal accident, including a controversial claim by renowned test pilot Chuck Yeager, who suggested Bong was responsible for his own demise. The film presents this perspective alongside testimony and archival material, allowing viewers to draw their own conclusions.

Featuring rare photographs and vintage film footage, the documentary delves into Bong’s personal life, military achievements, and enduring legacy. It serves as both a historical record and a poignant reminder of the cost of war—even for its greatest heroes. On Thursday, May 24, 2024, researchers led by Pacif Wreck’s Justin Tylan announced that they had likely found the wreckage of World War II ace Richard Bong’s plane in the South Pacific. The aircraft is a Lockheed P-38J-15-LO Serial Number 42-103993, assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 5th Fighter Command (V Fighter Command), Headquarters Squadron. Assigned to pilot Captain Richard I. Bong, who named it “Marge”. It had red propeller spinners, wingtips, and the top and bottom tips of the tail.

Also included in Skywarrior Media’s growing library is Black Sheep Chronicles, a seven-part documentary series on the famed Marine Fighting Squadron 214 (VMF-214) and its charismatic commander, Gregory “Pappy” Boyington. Known for its gritty authenticity and extensive use of rare archival footage, the series traces the squadron’s combat history from 1942 to 1945, with special focus on its pivotal operations over Guadalcanal, Bougainville, and the Japanese fortress at Rabaul. Boyington, a Medal of Honor recipient and the highest-scoring fighter ace in Marine Corps history with 28 confirmed kills, rose to fame not only for his combat exploits but also for his best-selling memoir Baa Baa Black Sheep. The book inspired the popular NBC television series of the same name, starring Robert Conrad.