America’s
Original
Bong Merch
Gear for the Ace of Aces. 40 kills. One plane named Marge. The most decorated fighter pilot in U.S. history was from Wisconsin.
Shop the CollectionAmerica’s
Ace of
Aces
Richard Bong grew up in Superior, Wisconsin — hunting, fishing, and teaching himself to fly by buzzing the Golden Gate Bridge at 50 feet (for which he was grounded). He shipped out to the Pacific in 1942 at age 22.
By the time he came home, he had 40 confirmed aerial victories in his P-38 Lightning named Marge — after his girl back in Superior. No American pilot before or since has matched it.
The Park
Is Named
After Him
Richard Bong State Recreation Area. 4,500 acres of native Wisconsin prairie, wetlands, and trail. Established 1974. Named for the man who flew a P-38 Lightning into combat 146 times and came back every time.
The park is real. The name is real. The story behind the name is one most people have never heard. Until now.
The Plane
Is Still Out There
In 1945, Bong’s P-38 — Marge, named for his wife Marjorie Vattendahl — was lost in the Pacific. In 2024, a recovery expedition located the wreck in Papua New Guinea.
His story deserves to be told. His museum in Superior deserves to stay open. And Marge deserves to come home. Every purchase you make here puts 5% toward that.
Full Collection
