MAJOR RICHARD IRA BONG MEMORIAL PLAQUE

MAJ. BONG IS THE UNITED STATES HIGHEST-SCORING AIR ACE, HAVING SHOT DOWN AT LEAST 40 JAPANESE AIRCRAFT DURING WORLD WAR II. HE WAS A FIGHTER PILOT IN THE U.S. ARMY AIR FORCES AND A RECIPIENT OF THE MEDAL OF HONOR. ALL OF HIS AERIAL VICTORIES WERE IN THE P-38 LIGHTNING FIGHTER.
HIS MEDAL OF HONOR CITATION READS IN PART “HE ENGAGED IN REPEATED COMBAT MISSIONS, INCLUDING UNUSUALLY HAZARDOUS SORTIES OVER BALIKPAPAN, BORNEO, AND IN THE LEYETE AREA OF THE PHILIPPINES. HIS AGGRESSIVENESS AND DARING RESULTED IN HIS SHOOTING DOWN 8 ENEMY AIRPLANES DURING THIS PERIOD.”
AS HIS HOME TOWN, THE PEOPLE OF POPLAR OUGHT TO BE ASHAMED OF THE LACK OF CARE FOR THIS AMERICAN WAR HERO’S MEMORIAL.