MILITARY PERSONNEL

Richard Bong

1920 - 1945

Photo of Richard Bong

Icon of person Richard Bong

Richard Ira "Dick" Bong (September 24, 1920 – August 6, 1945) was a United States Army Air Forces major and Medal of Honor recipient in World War II. He was one of the most decorated American fighter pilots and the country's top flying ace in the war, credited with shooting down 40 Japanese aircraft, all with the Lockheed P-38 Lightning. He died in California while testing a Lockheed P-80 jet fighter shortly before the war ended. Bong was posthumously inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 1986 and has several commemorative monuments named in his honor around the world, including an airport, two bridges, a theater, a veterans historical center, a recreation area, a neighborhood terrace, and several avenues and streets, including the street leading to the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio. Read more on Wikipedia

His biography is available in 20 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 19 in 2024). Richard Bong is the 1,847th most popular military personnel (down from 1,777th in 2024), the 8,026th most popular biography from United States (down from 6,577th in 2019) and the 126th most popular American Military Personnel.

Memorability Metrics

Loading...

Page views of Richard Bong by language

Loading...

Among MILITARY PERSONNELS

Among military personnels, Richard Bong ranks 1,847 out of 2,058. Before him are Eddie Chapman, Vladimir Alexeyevich Kornilov, Mazloum Abdi, Henning von Holtzendorff, Myronides, and August Emil Fieldorf. After him are Juan Aldama, Anton Grasser, Andreas Miaoulis, Perseus, Alexandros Othonaios, and Harry Crerar.

Most Popular Military Personnels in Wikipedia

Go to all Rankings
Load previousLoad previous

Contemporaries

Among people born in 1920, Richard Bong ranks 346. Before him are Julian Jaynes, Thomas Sebeok, Josef Doležal, Olle Åhlund, Kamisese Mara, and Ragnhild Hveger. After him are Aleksandar Atanacković, Jim Siedow, Beah Richards, Mykola Rudenko, Alberto Calderón, and Olha Ilkiv. Among people deceased in 1945, Richard Bong ranks 309. Before him are Sarala Devi Chaudhurani, Aris Velouchiotis, Paolo Salvi, Frederic Clements, Sigurður Eggerz, and Richard Friedrich Johannes Pfeiffer. After him are Milton S. Hershey, Vikenty Veresaev, Kazimierz Prószyński, Vladimir Leontyevich Komarov, Ernie Pyle, and Janko Jesenský.

Others Born in 1920

Go to all Rankings
Load previousLoad previous

Others Deceased in 1945

Go to all Rankings
Load previousLoad previous

In United States

Among people born in United States, Richard Bong ranks 8,028 out of 20,380. Before him are Christy Turlington (1969), Paris Jackson (1998), Brad Whitford (1952), Zoë Lund (1962), James Rumbaugh (1947), and Luther Allison (1939). After him are Tabitha King (1949), Helene Hanff (1916), Leslie Mann (1972), Robert Earl Jones (1910), Mick Thomson (1973), and Lexington Steele (1969).

Others born in United States

Go to all Rankings
Load previousLoad previous

Among MILITARY PERSONNELS In United States

Among military personnels born in United States, Richard Bong ranks 126. Before him are Samuel Ryan Curtis (1805), Frederick Townsend Ward (1831), Eugene Sledge (1923), Oliver Hazard Perry (1785), Jacob L. Devers (1887), and Peter Pace (1945). After him are Scott Ritter (1961), John F. Reynolds (1820), Jonathan M. Wainwright (1883), John Eisenhower (1922), James Wilkinson (1757), and Richard Marcinko (1940).

American born Military Personnels

Go to all Rankings
Load previousLoad previous