Thank you for covering this American Hero. What Bong and his squadron did in the pacific affected the entire war, knocking out Japan's chief strategist. Brings back the memories of reading his exploits over two decades ago.
doubt this will work.. but. 🤡I've played WT on and off for years now. Be pretty cool if you were to do a "squad with subs" series or 3rd channel (or possibly an unsub crew channel?). Either way, thank you for making history fun again for me!
@@DamienDrake2940 Seriously, what idiot in the chain of command made that decision? Were they just completely ignorant to the fact that testing planes was extremely dangerous, especially Jet Aircraft in the fucking 1940s? Total egghead move.
Japanese pilot: Hey, is that him? Who do you think killed him? Marseille, was that you? Marseille: Nein, we fought on opposite sides of the planet. Bong: Hey, what's up? Japanese pilot: How'd you end up here? What mighty pilot slayed the great Richard Bong? Bong: Actually, my engine blew up.
Nick, that was a great video. Absolutely worth all your efforts to make. As always much appreciated. P.s. those damned onion cutting ninjas are everywhere 😉, here included.
HE WAS 24 YEARS OLD WHEN "THAT" HAPPENED?? So let me get this straight... this boss of a main character was a Major at 24 years old, got 40 confirmed kills, and his last act of heroism was saving civilians by guiding his aircraft away from the population... it is absolutely warranted for any man to shed a tear for this absolute Herculean of a man.
“I’m not crying; you’re crying.” What a great story. I figured the test pilot thing would be his end. I hope the military took care of Marge for the rest of her life.
I'm sitting here in my basement, eating some delicious curry and watching this video when I think to myself, "huh, I think one of the many models my dad has is a P-38 Lightning", look over, and not only is one of them a Lightning, but it's got Marge's markings. I've never heard of this guy until now but have had a model of his plane sitting next to me since I was a kid.
@emanekaf145 when I was going through Highschool, my Dad got into the Revell line of 1/48 scale fighter planes of WWII, and a few WWI biplanes. He built the very same kit you did, and my reaction to your story is that I felt exactly like you did, finally seeing a story about THAT PARTICULAR AIRCRAFT! And by the way, wasn't the real Marge pretty?
All the aces have the models. Old crow is always a given on early model P-51's. The P-47's usually have the polish guy who was the original A-10 pilot but in ww2 in his P-47.
So... His actual arial victory count is more like... 50+ because he gave so many away. Dude's up there playing ACE Combat... A Major at 24 and saved lives at the expense of his own. What a fucking legend.
Don’t forget the Aligator too so it’s like 51-61+ Ks but I guess the alligator being a ground/lake target doesn’t count or same with the plane about to take off with generals so more like 50+-60+ shoot downs
Lockheed Skunkworks honestly deserves an entire video of its own. Basically all batshit insane, seemingly impossible military aviation projects had these guys involved, and that’s just the shit we know about.
Skunkworks what happens when the US says F it grab all the mad scientists and engineers from around the US and put them in a compound together to make weird tech.
P-38 was before the formal creation of the Skunkworks but it was basically a Skunkworks plane, then the P-80, U-2, A-12/YF-12/SR-71, F-117, F-22, F-35, and plenty more things we know very little or absolutely nothing about. Yeah, it's worth a video, though admittedly it's more badass engineering than badass soldiers/sailors/airmen/marines.
My old PLT SGT once told me, when you become a team leader your accomplishments shouldn't matter. If you brag about what you did after becoming a leader you are about yourself. All that matters at this point is how far your soldiers go. That will show how good of a leader you are.
It sort of always has been. Those with humility and modesty are much less likely to catch the public eye due to that humility and modesty. It's always been that way and it probably always will be that way.
@@jlmfoy365 Honor* :D That said, honor is such a tricky term because it pretty much means "Whatever this society believes to be virtuous behavior at this time." That's why its fallen out of favor. Since virtuous traits constantly change and shift and don't translate between societies very well, as society becomes more globalized, the term becomes less and less useful. As a term becomes less useful, it becomes less fashionable to use. That isn't really an unfortunate thing, it just... is. We still have words and phrases to describe these concepts. That said, there is a more solid definition for honor, but its about how to act as a combatant or in regard to debts.
My grandpa was a radio tech for the P-38. When he was stationed in North Africa he went to work on a radio and the person in charge of disconnecting the battery for the planes to get worked on didn't. Somehow when he started wrenching an electrical issue happened that engaged the four fully loaded .50 cal guns and welded his wrench to the radio. He wound up killing an entire herd of goats a mile away and the army had to pay the herder for the whole flock. Every barrel in that plane melted and he was nicknamed Gunner after that.
Elder brothers in big families are like this. Giving their all for their little bros and sisters. He wasn't just working towards being the best damn pilot from childhood, he was also conditioned to be both hard working and selfless by his family, essentially he was a born hero.
I'd like to think I try to do the same for my 7 brothers and sisters. (At least, I try... with varying degrees of success.) I think it's because we become kike a second father to them, while empathizing with mom... Makes you have a different outlook of nurturing and discipling towards others.
You are a talented story teller. I have heard this story before but was not nearly as well entertained. It was certainly not too long for me. I shall be looking for more of your work. Thank you.
My Grandfather worked with Bong and flew in his P-38 back in 1943. My grandfather was infantry in the 41st infantry on New Guinea training and volunteered to be a B-25 nose gunner. He was interested in mechanics (became an auto mechanic after the war) and was geeking out over the P-38s turbo-supercharger and Bong noticed him. After a few days of talking Bong offered to take my grandfather up in his P-38. Look to the video to see the girlfriend sitting behind the main seat... she was sitting on the radio. Hard to transport someone with that there. So Bong and granddad ripped the radio out and my grandfather sat where it was. 3 feet lower. So imagine this, you have a 6' man sitting in a hole, knees near his ears and his ankles up on Bong's shoulders in a P-38. Uncomfortable to say the least. Granddad said that Bong gunned it and left the ground halfway down the airstrip, put balls to the wall and at the end of the runway went vertical to 10,000 ft. (neither had oxygen so he didn't go much higher). Later in the war my granddad pulled the aluminum skin off a downed zero and made a matchbox cover out of it and inscribed it to Bong in remembrance of the flight. He found out Bong died a few months later.
General Kenney was a piece of work himself. The 5th Air Force called themselves "Kenney's Kids" and they all loved him. He couldn't get drop tanks from America because they were all going to Europe so he came up with a simple design and had Australian auto workers pound them out of sheet metal. He also was the guy who put 15 fifty caliber machine guns in the nose of B25's for strafing. He also put parachutes on bombs for very low level attacks.
If you take just one small step into a hypothetical future. This man had a higher than most likelihood of being involved in the space program. Maybe not an astronaut. But as a man teaching and testing the men who were.
I visit his grave in Poplar, WI almost every year as it's just down the road from our cabin. It's a very small town and they're extremely proud of their Ace of Aces. I was sad when they took the P-38 painted in his colors down from the pole in town, but she's been restored and sitting indoors at the Bong Heritage Museum in Superior, Wisconsin. If you're in the area it's definitely worth the visit.
This man has steadily become my favorite source of old military history, he disrespects while also respects those of the past from both sides all at once. Could not ask for a better man to watch about this stuff. Amazing job man
I was watching TV and thought, wow I want to get my quack bang on. I wonder if he posted today. I was greeted with 30 minutes of quack and 30 minutes of bang.
You’ll love the new episode of the “unsubscribe podcast” that will come out tomorrow on RUclips. The Fat Electrician and his friends have two WW2 veterans as guests. It’s great
This is my favorite channel... And I'm a girl. Lol... From a military family. I send these videos to all of them that are still living. PS. The Unsubscribe Podcast is Dope AF. The episode with Grampa Gamer was... I'm a girl, searching for a proper adjective that conveys the proper masculine justice... * BEEP - FAIL... It was adorable watching them totally Fan-Boy over Grampa Gamer. And Grampa Gamer is quite the humble legend himself.
About half way thru the video it dawned on me that we had seen no "elder" pictures of Mr. Bong. So I was like man, he's not gonna make it home is he? I was surprised when he did make it home but wasn't surprised when he died shortly thereafter, such a tragedy.
@@BryanRoaming They assumed the plot armor was thick enough. But the engineers that made the P80 forgot to account for the shear weight of Bong's balls
His son is also a pilot - a fighter who is my dads best friend. We used to go to his lake house as a kid out in Wisconsin, he’s was a good man. He also has a bridge/museum named after him in Superior, WI. Great story and amazing man.
From "Long Form" to "Documentary"!? Nic, your work ethic is next level. We appreciate- even if we can't understand how much more energy & effort producing a full feature length documentary entails.
I'm surprised that they didn't write up the MoH citation for diving in front of an enemy plane and leading him off to keep him from shooting down one of Bong's men. That ending broke my damned heart, too. There's just something about the way you started the tale of that day that made me realize immediately that the ending wouldn't be happy.
I think there was a Silver Star for that one (just 'For Heroic Actions over the Bismarck Sea') or else 1 of his many *many* Air Medals. The video fails to mention the man had basically every major decoration the Army Air Corps could give him (he was missing ones like the Purple heart, as he was never wounded from enemy action), from the Distinguished Service Cross, 2 Silver Stars and 7 DFCs on top of his MoH, and had so many Air Medals he had 2 of them on his ribbon board for all the Oak Leaf clusters he had from repeats.
Yeah... Test pilots don't have great life expectancy. Should not be a job for a fighter ace, way better used as an instructor and they can keep getting stick time in nice proven airframes.
@@privatezim3637 that's the kind of work that I would expect to be a volunteer job. But if it was, I feel like he was the type of guy who might've volunteered.
I have two ideas of figures you could cover for future episodes. Richard "Dick" Best: one of only 2 men to ever sink 2 aircraft carriers on the same day. 'Klondike Joe' Boyle: gold miner, boxing promotor, hockey coach, soldier, spy, diplomat, and lover of the Romanian Queen.
Most aircraft manufacturers: "Can't do it". Kelly Johnson at Lockheed: "Is that all?" EDIT: "Oh look, it goes supersonic in a dive and had control problems. Guess we'll have to look into that. I wonder how fast an operational plane could go in level flight? I guess most people will never know". Because it's STILL classified.
That's Kelly Johnson Specifically. The reason why today Boeing is shitting the bed is they took engineers like Johnson out of the board room. Lockheed and Boeing and all of them used to be run with the best engineers on the board if directors, and it kept the managment in touch with production. Today it's a bunch of business failers in charge of the companies who do asinine things like move HQ away from the factories.
@@jacobdill4499 SHHHH!!! Don't mess up my sarcasm with facts. Also, my Dad worked for Lockheed on the L-1011, and other projects, for 30 years. I'm kind of a fan.
I am from Duluth Minnesota, we have the Richard Bong Memorial Bridge here that leads over to Superior Wisconsin. I heard very little of the man it was dedicated to, only he was the best fighter pilot ever. This video really puts his skills into perspective, thank you very much for this well done informational video! R.I.P Bong
The fact that this was an hour long video and didn’t get bored or check how much time is left just shows the quality, attention to detail and just straight bad-ass content.
But a combo of social media short form content and increasing rates of things like adhd tend to significantly shorten people’s attention spans, an hour is a lot for some people
From "Long Form" to "Documentary"!? 😮 Nic, your work ethic is next level. We appreciate- even if we can't understand how much more energy & effort producing a full feature length documentary entails. 👍
While on the subject of main characters wearing plot armor, you should look into Leo Major. The guy landed at D-Day, lost an eye and refused to go back home because he said he needed only one eye to shoot and it made him look like a pirate. He then proceeded to single-handedly liberate the town of Zwolle in Holland out of revenge because his best friend just got killed. He received two Distinguished Service Medals, one for Zwolle and one for retaking and defending Hill 355 with his 18 men against two divisions of the Chinese army during the Korean war.
@@lucycarlisle9120there are more towns in the US called after dutch places due to the influence from war and trade but also migration. Even New York once was New Amsterdam in the 17th century. Alot of the history mainly focuses on the English and French but the Netherlands also has been busy back then.
They were also globally known for their architecture and infrastructure back then, I believe, but I suppose that’s to be expected when your country is essentially Europe’s storm drain
I was stationed at Langley AFB from 00’-04’ and a few months after 9/11, a Navy pilot from Norfolk buzzed the base - close enough that the sonic boom shattered some windows. Given Langley is the headquarters of Air Combat Command, I don’t know what happened to him, but I’d bet he wasn’t afforded the same grace as Dick Bong…
Fellow WI boy here and the Bong Recreational Area is legendary among my friends in my teenage years. I know the sign was stolen multiple times. It's great to be home to a legendary American hero that will never be lost to history.
This pilot had a funny name, grew up as a tough farm boy, was inspired by a chance encounter with his newly discovered life's passion, had fate line up to give him all the perfect opportunities at just the right time with better dramatic timing than most fiction writers, had the natural skill and intense will to be the best at everything he did, and became the best fighter pilot of the largest conflict in human history. There's no way Dick Bong wasn't God's player character for his 20th century RPG campaign.
My grandpa grew up in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. Born 1926. He worked in a bowling alley picking up and resetting pins by hand when he was 7 years old to be paid 5 cents once every week… the Great Depression was very hard. His older brother lied about his age and became a B-17 navigator, flew out of North Africa to bomb Italy and then later Berlin, even. Total of 30 missions, retired after 22 years a Lt. Col. meanwhile, 1942 to 1944 my grandpa, still a teenager, ended up being a gandy dancer on the Green Bay & Western Railroad. He got through flight school in 1945 and was to be a P-51 pilot escorting B-29s to Japan, but after his final solo flight in July they suddenly put him on standby… and then the bombs were dropped. Younger brother ended up flying cargo / transport for the USAF in Korea, then became a pilot at “Untied” Airlines (as he called it) and retired a captain in the 80s. Only my grandpa never saw the battlefield, but was re-upped for Korea… to guard the airbase at Cheyenne, Wyoming from 1950 to mid 1952. My mom being born three weeks past my grandpa’s birthday in November of ‘52 after he was discharged again. I wonder almost if grandpa ever knew Bong grew up just miles away from himself?
I am a volunteer at the Bong museum in superior Wisconsin and I got to experience and meet the Bong family the earlier this year. I just want to say it’s great that one of my favorite RUclipsrs makes a story about a small pilot from Poplar, Wisconsin
I have had the privilege of knowing 2, WW2 MOH recipients in my life. The thing about both of those men was the humility they had. That generation was absolutely the greatest generation.
Those awarded with the MoH aren't out to win medals. They merely did what needed to be done better than anyone else around, and were willing to put their lives on the line to accomplish the goal in service of others, not just themselves.
Dick Bong couldn’t have possibly lived a more perfect life, or died a more perfect death. He lived his childhood dream of being a fighter pilot. He became the ace of aces without even trying. He single-handedly improved the skills of countless American pilots in a way that could be objectively observed. He married the love of his life, and kept his promise that they would get married once he was out of the war. He died the same day that the war he single-handedly influenced ended. Even as he was dying doing the thing he loved most, he refused to put others in harm’s way, even if it meant sealing his fate. One of the greatest Americans that ever lived, and arguably one of the greatest people that ever lived.
What always amazed me about Major Richard Ira Bong is that he managed it all before his 25th birthday! Very few, if any, do that much in such a short life span.
I had an uncle who flew the P38 in World War II. He had 15 kills. Robert Burdett Westbrook Jr. he was killed in late 44 when he and his wingman were both shot down over the ocean. His wingman was recovered with minor injuries. My uncle was never located.
@@elizabethannedavis5176 thank you for your kind words. Unfortunately, I never knew him. I did have five other uncles that served and survived the war. Them I all knew, the last of them passing in 2010
It's one thing to be a badass. It's another level entirely to be generous and humble WHILE being so badass that most people think it's fiction. Thank you for emphasizing what a truly decent person he was.
For 25 years I’ve driven over the Bong Bridge (one of the two bridges that connects Superior and Duluth), driving thru Poplar, WI (I just moved from Ashland) numerous times and knew of the great man but didn’t know the details until my youngest sent me this video. What a humble, heroic person. How bittersweet to end up finally marrying your love only to die being a humble man and thinking of others. That’s a heartbreaker for sure. Thank you for putting this video out there.
This one brought tears to my eyes... Major bong was my grandpa's hero, and when we toured the Richard Bong museum, grandpa was quoting all the headlines like he was a teen, again. Grandpa died a few years back, and this brought back a bunch of good memories.
Major Bong: *Does his job even further* General Kenney at any point: We're suffering from success yet again, I just know it... A Hell of a life, to do so much in such little time and have it end so young. The impact to everyone who's been in his presence in person or in media like catching a shooting star on Polaroid as poetic as the Shooting Star that did him in, you never get stories like this any day, not even in a blue moon. RIP to a true maverick to the very end
We have the Bong recreational area off the freeway from where I live in WI. It's great to know that the legendary recreation area from my teenage years is connected to a legendary American ace pilot.
it was also supposed to be a military air base but was abandoned before they poured the runway just like they pretty much abandoned the upkeep of the atv trails there
Maj Bong "handing off" his kills is almost identical to what Col Robin Olds was doing in Vietnam once he got to 4 kills. He knew it would build the morale for his wingmen, and it would keep him from being sent home too soon.
@@Dragon_Werks yes he was! And he famously had one of his kills during a "glider" incident where dropped his external tanks and forgot to switch to internal tanks, so he lost engine power still was able to maneuver to score the hits.
A note on heros; You can be one too. Be ordinary, but do that little bit extra. Over time, people will see it. You may think youre busting your hump for chumps, but the truth is that if they couldve, they wouldve. Thats why you are their hero. "Work harder, *AND* smarter" -Mike Rowe.
I just recently read "The Right Stuff" by Tom Wolfe and after listening to this story I feel like I can say with certainty that if Bong had survived he very likely would have been selected for the astronaut program and with that kind of public perception may have ended up being the first man in space.
Well, if he was anything like Chuck Yeager, I doubt if he'd have wanted to do that. I imagine he'd have been doing the same thing Chuck did: Keep flying as a test pilot. Chuck was the one that came up with the phrase "spam in a can", if I remember right. (Yeah, I'm a huge fan of Gen. Yeager, in case you couldn't tell! 😂) R.I.P. Charles Yeager.
In Superior, there is a small airport... Richard L. Bong Memorial Airport. The airport is just south of... University of Wisconsin - Superior Small towns love their heroes.
I've lived in Superior WI for only a couple of years but his name is everywhere up here. Thank you for making a video honoring this forgotten war hero. Anyone visiting the area should check out the Bong Veterans Historical Center. They have a restored P38!
General Kenny has basically the disappointed but at the same time proud father energy because he knew that Bong is one of if not the most modest, humble, and greatest fighter pilot of all time. If there was a mount rushmore/ hall of fame for greatest fighter pilot/military personnel, he would be on it.
I sit on the board of directors at the Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center. I would like to thank you for sharing Major Bong’s story! His legacy is amazing!
The Japanese cursed the P-38 Lighting because of its ability of high-altitude flight which far surpassed the clime rate of the Zero. One Japanese official noted “Pilots too were often heard cursing the speedy P-38s which flaunted their flashing performance. The P-38 pilot was in a most enviable position; he could choose to fight when and where he desired, and on his own terms. Under such conditions, the Lighting became one of the most deadly of all enemy planes.”
I cheered when he finally got home and married Marge. I was praying for a 70+ year marriage. Instead, my heart is aching for all his loved ones, especially Marge. 😢😢 That was a real bummer. Salute to you, Maj. Bong! Thank you for your incredible service to our nation. RIP, Sir.
"Some heroes don't wear capes". Every time I read an article and/or watch a documentary about Maj. Bong, that saying always comes to mind. Thank you Chubby Electron for spending over an hour honoring this man.
This is some great history from wisconsin. The Richard Bong museum in superior wi is a great place to check out. If you find yourself there, it's free and filled with a lot of world War 2 history.
I've noticed that every time you tell a story about an American hero losing their life, it really hits you as it should all of us. Thank you so much for taking your time to make sure everyone knows about the gallantry acts of the service members.
Excellent vid! My grandfather served with Bong and I remember him speaking highly of the man during the rare times he would talk about his service in WWII. Thank you.
HI there. I loved your story of Dick Bong. It was a heart breaker at the end. I am a 70 year old lady and the widow of a retired Navy man. I am a subscriber of your channel and one of my other videos of yours I love is the one on the A-10 Warthog. It is by far the coolest plane in the world bar none. Thank you for your channel because it takes a little pain away from my arthritic legs. Please keep putting out the content. Stay safe out there. Take care and God bless
THANK YOU!!! Thank you for telling his story. As a man from Wisconsin, from a family of pilots, Richard Bong has been my hero since I was a kid even dressed as him to meet his wife and brother at EAA in Oshkosh 30 years ago, got hugs from them both. Thank you for bringing his legend to new people who might have never heard of him.
"Hu-huh. Hey Beavis, he said Bong..." "Yeah, Boi-oi-oi-oi-oing..." "No fart knocker, like that thing I found in the back of Todd's car." "Oh yeah, that water tasted like ass." "Hu-huh, you drank ass water." "Shut up, Butthead."
Just found your channel after being recommended by a coworker to watch the Unsubscribe Podcast. Thank you for all the work you put into making these videos. You deserve all the success coming your way. RIP Maj. Bong. One of the greatest stories, if not the greatest, of a heroic individual I've ever heard. May he be remembered forever.
Kelly Johnson is almost single-handedly responsible for ALL American aviation innovation from roughly the 40s to the 70s: F-104 Starfighter, U-2, SR-71, P-38... stuff that isn't public knowledge likely, and much of what he invented is implicitly included in most modern military aircraft.
This is just my opinion, but it's quite bold of you to state that the F-104 was "innovative." It's a missile with a pilot in it and we didn't test it enough before we sent it over to Europe. I'm not saying it's the worst thing out there, but I'm just not a fan of it due to the nearly equal danger it posed to its user, those that worked on it (the razor wings), and those it was pointed at.
@@steeljawX So a jet fighter with extremely small wings isn't innovative, but the U-2 is? How is a plane with very large and long wings innovative? Or would a lifting body (a plane without any wings) not be innovative either? I think you're not being fair. It's not like other planes (for example the U2) weren't far more dangerous earning the moniker "dragon lady" for it's danger to pilots.
@@steeljawX the F-104 is part of the Century series, which I would call innovative. Most of those aircraft were breaking some established rule of aircraft design at the time. In the case of the 104, it was high thrust to weight, low area and low aspect wings. If you look forward to the F-16, we see some heritage there.
Dick Bong is an absolute legend. And the p-38 is so under appreciated. The lighting was a game changer. An actual intercepter. Go ask Admiral Yomomotto about it.
P-38 my favorite plane in history. Several times in the European theater the pilots would exhaust their ammunition and continue to pick BF-109s out of the sky by playing chicken, and not flinching. The only airplane in history to officially win a game of chicken every time.
My cousin buzzed our great grandmother’s farm. Nocking off the ball turret on one of the big oaks in the yard. She was so pissed off she was writing Roosevelt until she found out it was him. Then she was mad at him cause he could have killed him self. The rest of the family thought it was hilarious. Great job on telling this story!
To this day, I'm still blown away by your content, the research that goes into it, and the comical delivery in which you portray certain parts. Young man, you are a legend, and a true American patriot for sharing these historical things we don't learn about in school, or public. Its almost as if we aren't supposed to be patriotic anymore.
Im a plumber up here in the Minneapolis area. My family is from Duluth and the Iron Range. I grew up hearing about Richard Bong. I have been to his museum in Superior Wisconsin many, many times. I even have a die cast replica of his P-38 in my living room. I thought I knew a everything about Richard Bong, but I learned more than a few things from your video. Thanks for doing this, love your videos!
![ARGENTINA vs. CHILE [3-0] | RESUMEN | ELIMINATORIAS SUDAMERICANAS | FECHA 7](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/De3AWmXzhuA/mqdefault.jpg)
Check out War Thunder and use my link for a free large bonus back with boosters, vehicles, and more: playwt.link/thefatelectrician
Thank you for covering this American Hero. What Bong and his squadron did in the pacific affected the entire war, knocking out Japan's chief strategist. Brings back the memories of reading his exploits over two decades ago.
Octo - ace
stop dont trick the new players let them maintain their inocence
yo remember when i told you i could help you get through war thunder in the t95 vid i am still happy to do it
doubt this will work.. but. 🤡I've played WT on and off for years now. Be pretty cool if you were to do a "squad with subs" series or 3rd channel (or possibly an unsub crew channel?). Either way, thank you for making history fun again for me!
Man, that ending is brutal. To get home, to have your happy ever after, only to die because you weren't willing to endanger innocents. What a man.
But probably the most military thing to ever happen. Do everything they can to send him home to keep him safe and make him a test pilot.
Man was a genuine hero. Courageous, good at what he did for a living, determined, cunning/smart, and self-sacrificing right to the very end.
Sounds like Uhtred of Bebbanburg
I was crushed when I saw the end...
@@DamienDrake2940 Seriously, what idiot in the chain of command made that decision? Were they just completely ignorant to the fact that testing planes was extremely dangerous, especially Jet Aircraft in the fucking 1940s? Total egghead move.
Roman Centurion: I was slain in battle by a mighty Celtic warrior. You?
Japanese Pilot: I got shot down by a man named Dick Bong.
Biggus Dickus?
Japanese pilot: Hey, is that him? Who do you think killed him? Marseille, was that you?
Marseille: Nein, we fought on opposite sides of the planet.
Bong: Hey, what's up?
Japanese pilot: How'd you end up here? What mighty pilot slayed the great Richard Bong?
Bong: Actually, my engine blew up.
Nick, that was a great video. Absolutely worth all your efforts to make.
As always much appreciated.
P.s. those damned onion cutting ninjas are everywhere 😉, here included.
Oh yeha - there's a big queue of you guys over there.
Lmao
A man with balls so big he needed two engines.
For a more technical explanation about the P-38's design, I suggest Greg's Airplanes and Automobiles channel on RUclips. It's super informative!
Dude not only outperformed Japanese pilots, he did it while his plane weighed more than anything else in the war
@AnimarchyHistory Azure Lane style back when?
hey buddy nice too see you here been a sub since your Prinz Eugen video
Fun to see you here too :D
THAT’S MY UNCLE
been bragging about him for 15 years - glad he’s finally getting some recognition!!!!
I am thinking you have a *lot* of cousins
Recognition shit I’m still tired from hearing this I’m glad bro got some rest
lol your Aunt used to takes hits from the Bong
He also has the bridge into Duluth named after him 👍🏼
please tell me he made a couple kids?!
Surviving crocodiles: "Don't. touch. The boats!"
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Crocodile broke rule number 1....
Never touch America’s boats!
I keep expecting tp see a "Don't Touch our Boats" Play List on his sight, in oldest event to most recent.
Not even a raft!!!!
HE WAS 24 YEARS OLD WHEN "THAT" HAPPENED?? So let me get this straight... this boss of a main character was a Major at 24 years old, got 40 confirmed kills, and his last act of heroism was saving civilians by guiding his aircraft away from the population... it is absolutely warranted for any man to shed a tear for this absolute Herculean of a man.
He was an example of the greatest generation.
@@longshot7601 He's quite possibly one of the best examples of the greatest generation
I agry
Couldn't agree more. Belongs in the hall of heroes on several levels.
WHAT HAVE I DONE WITH MY LIFE ..... as great as this story was/is it has made me aware of just how much i suck
With a last name of Bong, you know this guy was born to fly high.
Dude well done.
I both hate and love this comment
Lol
Imagine the shit he'd get in basic for the last name now. 😂
😂😂😂 love it 😂😂😂
“I’m not crying; you’re crying.” What a great story. I figured the test pilot thing would be his end. I hope the military took care of Marge for the rest of her life.
I hope so. Damn military has such a terrible rep for taking care of families
Was fully expecting this guy to have bad eyesight.
Same
haha, very good....
I thought the same thing.
Yup.
Maybe he did, which is why he had to get "too close to miss" :D
I'm sitting here in my basement, eating some delicious curry and watching this video when I think to myself, "huh, I think one of the many models my dad has is a P-38 Lightning", look over, and not only is one of them a Lightning, but it's got Marge's markings. I've never heard of this guy until now but have had a model of his plane sitting next to me since I was a kid.
amazing.
@emanekaf145 when I was going through Highschool, my Dad got into the Revell line of 1/48 scale fighter planes of WWII, and a few WWI biplanes. He built the very same kit you did, and my reaction to your story is that I felt exactly like you did, finally seeing a story about THAT PARTICULAR AIRCRAFT! And by the way, wasn't the real Marge pretty?
I'm sitting in my recliner, also eating a delicious curry I made earlier, but no P-38 next to me. Cheers lol
All the aces have the models. Old crow is always a given on early model P-51's. The P-47's usually have the polish guy who was the original A-10 pilot but in ww2 in his P-47.
@@rickmills4801 My dad builds about four or five of those models a year. I wish I had that mans patience and attention to detail.
So... His actual arial victory count is more like... 50+ because he gave so many away.
Dude's up there playing ACE Combat... A Major at 24 and saved lives at the expense of his own. What a fucking legend.
So thats where Chopper's death was based on
"He's the one, no doubt the Ace of Aces."
@@GeistDrachen Nice Swordsman quote!
Don’t forget the Aligator too so it’s like 51-61+ Ks but I guess the alligator being a ground/lake target doesn’t count or same with the plane about to take off with generals so more like 50+-60+ shoot downs
Bro was playing ACE Combat while everyone else was doing the tutorial in Pilotwings.
That is a man to shed tears over. Honorable human of which the world lost entirely too soon.
Lockheed Skunkworks honestly deserves an entire video of its own. Basically all batshit insane, seemingly impossible military aviation projects had these guys involved, and that’s just the shit we know about.
I imagine there is technology designed during the Vietnam war that is still classified
This is absolutely a video that needs to happen. Hell, I can see the title now:
"America's Miracle Aviation Engineers - Skunkworks"
@@drd675 Oh I'm sure, there is probably a metric fuckton from the cold war era as well.
Skunkworks what happens when the US says F it grab all the mad scientists and engineers from around the US and put them in a compound together to make weird tech.
P-38 was before the formal creation of the Skunkworks but it was basically a Skunkworks plane, then the P-80, U-2, A-12/YF-12/SR-71, F-117, F-22, F-35, and plenty more things we know very little or absolutely nothing about. Yeah, it's worth a video, though admittedly it's more badass engineering than badass soldiers/sailors/airmen/marines.
Humility and Modesty are the most under rated character traits these days
When I was a kid it was called Honour, not a fashionable term anymore. Unfortunately.
I couldn't agree more. My modesty is my character trait that im most proud of. I'm probably the most humble person I know.
My old PLT SGT once told me, when you become a team leader your accomplishments shouldn't matter. If you brag about what you did after becoming a leader you are about yourself. All that matters at this point is how far your soldiers go. That will show how good of a leader you are.
It sort of always has been. Those with humility and modesty are much less likely to catch the public eye due to that humility and modesty. It's always been that way and it probably always will be that way.
@@jlmfoy365 Honor* :D
That said, honor is such a tricky term because it pretty much means "Whatever this society believes to be virtuous behavior at this time." That's why its fallen out of favor. Since virtuous traits constantly change and shift and don't translate between societies very well, as society becomes more globalized, the term becomes less and less useful. As a term becomes less useful, it becomes less fashionable to use. That isn't really an unfortunate thing, it just... is. We still have words and phrases to describe these concepts. That said, there is a more solid definition for honor, but its about how to act as a combatant or in regard to debts.
Dude, General Kenny was an absolute bro.
Man had his boys back more then I would figure from a General, and I'm here for it.
Generals tend to realize the value of their troops more in times of war. Especially a world war.
Meanwhile this generation of generals and admirals would sell the souls of every last one of their subordinates for a stale cookie.
My grandpa was a radio tech for the P-38. When he was stationed in North Africa he went to work on a radio and the person in charge of disconnecting the battery for the planes to get worked on didn't. Somehow when he started wrenching an electrical issue happened that engaged the four fully loaded .50 cal guns and welded his wrench to the radio. He wound up killing an entire herd of goats a mile away and the army had to pay the herder for the whole flock. Every barrel in that plane melted and he was nicknamed Gunner after that.
So what you're saying is that he was America's Ground Ace.
"grab that fighter plane, bring it over here and king me" cracked me up 🤣
same
Yes! Lol
2 fighters strapped together with a wing.
Do a video on Pappy Boyington and his bastards (black sheep)
Epic line.
This is some DBZ Abridged Cell level of "Get back over here and punch be on my perfect jawline!!"
Fat electrician has upgraded from shorts to documentaries.
Love your work Nick.
Absolutely excellent and can watch this all day!
He's got a knack for it. Not many people can keep my attention for an hour about a pilot
RIGHT, FE IS THE “BOOMER” “History Guy - A Legend In Learning, Lance Geiger!”
Elder brothers in big families are like this. Giving their all for their little bros and sisters. He wasn't just working towards being the best damn pilot from childhood, he was also conditioned to be both hard working and selfless by his family, essentially he was a born hero.
I'd like to think I try to do the same for my 7 brothers and sisters. (At least, I try... with varying degrees of success.) I think it's because we become kike a second father to them, while empathizing with mom... Makes you have a different outlook of nurturing and discipling towards others.
Grew up in Wisconsin. Would always laugh when I drove past a sign that read “Bong recreation area” never knew the history behind it. What a hero
same... previous to today... it was famous for most stole sign to me
How about the Bong bridge between duluth and superior
For real dude. Iv always just smiled at it, thinking thats a strange name for a park. Fk never knew that before, a lot more respect.
Bunch of pot heads hang out around his memorial
You are a talented story teller. I have heard this story before but was not nearly as well entertained. It was certainly not too long for me. I shall be looking for more of your work. Thank you.
My Grandfather worked with Bong and flew in his P-38 back in 1943. My grandfather was infantry in the 41st infantry on New Guinea training and volunteered to be a B-25 nose gunner. He was interested in mechanics (became an auto mechanic after the war) and was geeking out over the P-38s turbo-supercharger and Bong noticed him. After a few days of talking Bong offered to take my grandfather up in his P-38. Look to the video to see the girlfriend sitting behind the main seat... she was sitting on the radio. Hard to transport someone with that there. So Bong and granddad ripped the radio out and my grandfather sat where it was. 3 feet lower. So imagine this, you have a 6' man sitting in a hole, knees near his ears and his ankles up on Bong's shoulders in a P-38. Uncomfortable to say the least. Granddad said that Bong gunned it and left the ground halfway down the airstrip, put balls to the wall and at the end of the runway went vertical to 10,000 ft. (neither had oxygen so he didn't go much higher). Later in the war my granddad pulled the aluminum skin off a downed zero and made a matchbox cover out of it and inscribed it to Bong in remembrance of the flight. He found out Bong died a few months later.
My grandpa flew the p38 and b25 have tons of photos!!! He was a LT
Dick Bong was my great uncle. My Grandpa's brother and he wrote two books about him Ace of Aces and Dear Mom We Have a War
I've worked with many bongs from the 80s right up to pre covoid 19... Sharing isn't caring any more lads.
Now that is a kick ass story ide personally love to se a video from his point of view like his side of the drama
Stories that never happened for $500
"Jimmy! Grab that fighter jet, bring it over here and king me!" You, sir have a way with words and I love it.
Agreed, absolutely beautiful!
Bong did all of that and died a legend while a year younger than me... What a man. And yeah, onion-cutting ninjas have infested my room as well.
General Kenney was a piece of work himself. The 5th Air Force called themselves "Kenney's Kids" and they all loved him. He couldn't get drop tanks from America because they were all going to Europe so he came up with a simple design and had Australian auto workers pound them out of sheet metal. He also was the guy who put 15 fifty caliber machine guns in the nose of B25's for strafing. He also put parachutes on bombs for very low level attacks.
Sounds like he might need a video of his own.
@@dcw8284 I think that the body positive wiring guy should do just that
Honestly throughout this entire video I found that General Kenney was my favorite character.
That was my thinking through the whole vid. Hopefully the next one is about him
Pappy Gunn was a major factor in the up gunning of B-26's and A20's.
I'll say it again....this man is the GREATEST story teller of our time. No contest
I totally agree! He is fantastic!
He and Mr. Ballen are unrivaled
If we could only have teachers like nick in schools now a days.
Look at Nick's face when he's talking about how Mayor Bong died. You can tell he was tearing up off-camera.
Same, dude, same.
If you take just one small step into a hypothetical future. This man had a higher than most likelihood of being involved in the space program. Maybe not an astronaut. But as a man teaching and testing the men who were.
I visit his grave in Poplar, WI almost every year as it's just down the road from our cabin. It's a very small town and they're extremely proud of their Ace of Aces. I was sad when they took the P-38 painted in his colors down from the pole in town, but she's been restored and sitting indoors at the Bong Heritage Museum in Superior, Wisconsin. If you're in the area it's definitely worth the visit.
This man has steadily become my favorite source of old military history, he disrespects while also respects those of the past from both sides all at once. Could not ask for a better man to watch about this stuff. Amazing job man
I was watching TV and thought, wow I want to get my quack bang on. I wonder if he posted today. I was greeted with 30 minutes of quack and 30 minutes of bang.
You’ll love the new episode of the “unsubscribe podcast” that will come out tomorrow on RUclips. The Fat Electrician and his friends have two WW2 veterans as guests. It’s great
This is my favorite channel... And I'm a girl. Lol... From a military family. I send these videos to all of them that are still living.
PS. The Unsubscribe Podcast is Dope AF. The episode with Grampa Gamer was... I'm a girl, searching for a proper adjective that conveys the proper masculine justice... * BEEP - FAIL... It was adorable watching them totally Fan-Boy over Grampa Gamer. And Grampa Gamer is quite the humble legend himself.
@@she-wolfkira4927 Love that podcast but didn't catch the one with grandpa gamer headed there right after this now.🤣
@@chrisnorman1430 Come back afterwards and say if I was lyin... Lol...
About half way thru the video it dawned on me that we had seen no "elder" pictures of Mr. Bong. So I was like man, he's not gonna make it home is he? I was surprised when he did make it home but wasn't surprised when he died shortly thereafter, such a tragedy.
You can’t fly combat, you might die. Also go fly this experimental jet.
My thoughts exactly
@@BryanRoaming They assumed the plot armor was thick enough. But the engineers that made the P80 forgot to account for the shear weight of Bong's balls
Same
Sup
His son is also a pilot - a fighter who is my dads best friend. We used to go to his lake house as a kid out in Wisconsin, he’s was a good man. He also has a bridge/museum named after him in Superior, WI. Great story and amazing man.
I was wondering if he was able to have a kid in his short marriage. That's awesome.
Thank God Richard Bongs legacy lives on.
The museum is a great place
@@spinalobifida I mean, back in the day you'd actually use the honeymoon to be very productive, if you catch my drift :P
Pretty sure he didn’t have a kid. Couldn’t find anything about it.
From "Long Form" to "Documentary"!?
Nic, your work ethic is next level. We appreciate- even if we can't understand how much more energy & effort producing a full feature length documentary entails.
"Jimmy grab that fighter plane, bring it over here and King me" so good
I'm surprised that they didn't write up the MoH citation for diving in front of an enemy plane and leading him off to keep him from shooting down one of Bong's men.
That ending broke my damned heart, too. There's just something about the way you started the tale of that day that made me realize immediately that the ending wouldn't be happy.
I think there was a Silver Star for that one (just 'For Heroic Actions over the Bismarck Sea') or else 1 of his many *many* Air Medals. The video fails to mention the man had basically every major decoration the Army Air Corps could give him (he was missing ones like the Purple heart, as he was never wounded from enemy action), from the Distinguished Service Cross, 2 Silver Stars and 7 DFCs on top of his MoH, and had so many Air Medals he had 2 of them on his ribbon board for all the Oak Leaf clusters he had from repeats.
Yeah... Test pilots don't have great life expectancy. Should not be a job for a fighter ace, way better used as an instructor and they can keep getting stick time in nice proven airframes.
@@privatezim3637 that's the kind of work that I would expect to be a volunteer job. But if it was, I feel like he was the type of guy who might've volunteered.
Can we also take a minute to appreciate General Kenny and how much he had his peoples backs?
Even in his last moments he made sure everyone in the general area was safe before even thinking about his own safety
I have two ideas of figures you could cover for future episodes.
Richard "Dick" Best: one of only 2 men to ever sink 2 aircraft carriers on the same day.
'Klondike Joe' Boyle: gold miner, boxing promotor, hockey coach, soldier, spy, diplomat, and lover of the Romanian Queen.
The first is an awesome war tale.
The second is what? James Bond?
Thanks for not letting America’s hero be forgotten.
Most aircraft manufacturers: "Can't do it".
Kelly Johnson at Lockheed: "Is that all?"
EDIT: "Oh look, it goes supersonic in a dive and had control problems. Guess we'll have to look into that. I wonder how fast an operational plane could go in level flight? I guess most people will never know". Because it's STILL classified.
Lock-Mart will always be the best aircraft manufacturer in the world
That's Kelly Johnson Specifically.
The reason why today Boeing is shitting the bed is they took engineers like Johnson out of the board room. Lockheed and Boeing and all of them used to be run with the best engineers on the board if directors, and it kept the managment in touch with production. Today it's a bunch of business failers in charge of the companies who do asinine things like move HQ away from the factories.
I will politely contest that claim with Grumman. Three words: Wildcat, Hellcat, Tomcat.
@@jacobdill4499 Don't forget the Mailcat.
@@jacobdill4499 SHHHH!!! Don't mess up my sarcasm with facts. Also, my Dad worked for Lockheed on the L-1011, and other projects, for 30 years. I'm kind of a fan.
You should get a quack bang sticker in war thunder… make it happen!
I’ll rep it🙌🏻😎😈
9@@georgepitra4862
This
As a WarThunder player, I would plaster that on every plane/tank I play
Yes!!!!
I am from Duluth Minnesota, we have the Richard Bong Memorial Bridge here that leads over to Superior Wisconsin. I heard very little of the man it was dedicated to, only he was the best fighter pilot ever. This video really puts his skills into perspective, thank you very much for this well done informational video!
R.I.P Bong
From cloquet, mn. I spent nine minutes looking for your comment. If I couldn't find it was going to put my own.
Random P38 Pilot: Planemaster, they outnumbered us 3 to 1.
Richard Bong: Then it's an even fight.
Planemaster 😂
I cracked my knuckles when I heard those numbers.
*"I like those odds"*
I know the quote, but those weren't good odds...for the Zeros. They never stood a chance.
The fact that this was an hour long video and didn’t get bored or check how much time is left just shows the quality, attention to detail and just straight bad-ass content.
Buddy, it's only 60 minutes. It's not like you sat through the LOTR trilogy. But yes, I agree. This was fun to listen to.
But a combo of social media short form content and increasing rates of things like adhd tend to significantly shorten people’s attention spans, an hour is a lot for some people
Oh boy, on my lunch break at work, got some cookies and some chocolate milk and a new FatElectrition vid drops? Is this heaven?
You made it to Valhalla
Indeed my child it's not far from it.
And it's a hour long today is a good day
A great surprise gift today. FE on Friday afternoon!!
Did you get banana bread at work, tho?
From "Long Form" to "Documentary"!? 😮
Nic, your work ethic is next level. We appreciate- even if we can't understand how much more energy & effort producing a full feature length documentary entails. 👍
Imagine being such a legend that OTHER PEOPLE start digging up planes from the bottom of the ocean just to prove it.
While on the subject of main characters wearing plot armor, you should look into Leo Major. The guy landed at D-Day, lost an eye and refused to go back home because he said he needed only one eye to shoot and it made him look like a pirate. He then proceeded to single-handedly liberate the town of Zwolle in Holland out of revenge because his best friend just got killed. He received two Distinguished Service Medals, one for Zwolle and one for retaking and defending Hill 355 with his 18 men against two divisions of the Chinese army during the Korean war.
We have a Zwolle in Louisiana. I'm'a hafta look up & see why we named it that. We got a Delhi, too, for some strange reason.
He also refuse the Victoria Cross because he said that the general who was to present it to him wasnt worthy of putting it on him
@@fatherobama7658 That's badass and all too common today.
@@lucycarlisle9120there are more towns in the US called after dutch places due to the influence from war and trade but also migration.
Even New York once was New Amsterdam in the 17th century.
Alot of the history mainly focuses on the English and French but the Netherlands also has been busy back then.
They were also globally known for their architecture and infrastructure back then, I believe, but I suppose that’s to be expected when your country is essentially Europe’s storm drain
“ I just get so close I can’t miss “ is the most gangster thing ever.
Dude was flying arcade at that point.
Kenny.... How close were you...... I think I was reading his gauges when I pull the trigger.....
I was stationed at Langley AFB from 00’-04’ and a few months after 9/11, a Navy pilot from Norfolk buzzed the base - close enough that the sonic boom shattered some windows. Given Langley is the headquarters of Air Combat Command, I don’t know what happened to him, but I’d bet he wasn’t afforded the same grace as Dick Bong…
Fellow WI boy here and the Bong Recreational Area is legendary among my friends in my teenage years. I know the sign was stolen multiple times. It's great to be home to a legendary American hero that will never be lost to history.
Hell yeah I have a old photo with that sign somewhere !
Drove past Bong Recreational Area four days ago...
Thanks to Plus Sized Sparkly Guy. Bong's story will resonate.
Not to mention the Bong bridge.
Local boy😅
This pilot had a funny name, grew up as a tough farm boy, was inspired by a chance encounter with his newly discovered life's passion, had fate line up to give him all the perfect opportunities at just the right time with better dramatic timing than most fiction writers, had the natural skill and intense will to be the best at everything he did, and became the best fighter pilot of the largest conflict in human history. There's no way Dick Bong wasn't God's player character for his 20th century RPG campaign.
Especially with how two of his planes crashed without him. 🤔😮
"We can't risk losing our best pilot, let's have him test fly a prototype super fast jet plane"
ikr?
man's death also got overshadowed by Hiroshima coincidentally
That was a terrible idea...
They just couldn't allow a guy named Dick Bong to be the hero. That wasnt gonna work.
My grandpa grew up in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. Born 1926. He worked in a bowling alley picking up and resetting pins by hand when he was 7 years old to be paid 5 cents once every week… the Great Depression was very hard. His older brother lied about his age and became a B-17 navigator, flew out of North Africa to bomb Italy and then later Berlin, even. Total of 30 missions, retired after 22 years a Lt. Col. meanwhile, 1942 to 1944 my grandpa, still a teenager, ended up being a gandy dancer on the Green Bay & Western Railroad. He got through flight school in 1945 and was to be a P-51 pilot escorting B-29s to Japan, but after his final solo flight in July they suddenly put him on standby… and then the bombs were dropped. Younger brother ended up flying cargo / transport for the USAF in Korea, then became a pilot at “Untied” Airlines (as he called it) and retired a captain in the 80s. Only my grandpa never saw the battlefield, but was re-upped for Korea… to guard the airbase at Cheyenne, Wyoming from 1950 to mid 1952. My mom being born three weeks past my grandpa’s birthday in November of ‘52 after he was discharged again. I wonder almost if grandpa ever knew Bong grew up just miles away from himself?
I am a volunteer at the Bong museum in superior Wisconsin and I got to experience and meet the Bong family the earlier this year. I just want to say it’s great that one of my favorite RUclipsrs makes a story about a small pilot from Poplar, Wisconsin
I have had the privilege of knowing 2, WW2 MOH recipients in my life. The thing about both of those men was the humility they had. That generation was absolutely the greatest generation.
Those awarded with the MoH aren't out to win medals. They merely did what needed to be done better than anyone else around, and were willing to put their lives on the line to accomplish the goal in service of others, not just themselves.
Dang I would say that’s lucky but that doesn’t seem like the right word. Must’ve been a hell of moment each time
Dick Bong couldn’t have possibly lived a more perfect life, or died a more perfect death.
He lived his childhood dream of being a fighter pilot. He became the ace of aces without even trying. He single-handedly improved the skills of countless American pilots in a way that could be objectively observed. He married the love of his life, and kept his promise that they would get married once he was out of the war. He died the same day that the war he single-handedly influenced ended.
Even as he was dying doing the thing he loved most, he refused to put others in harm’s way, even if it meant sealing his fate. One of the greatest Americans that ever lived, and arguably one of the greatest people that ever lived.
"You can take it and shoot down enemy planes yourself."
You have clearly never seen me fly in War Thunder.
What always amazed me about Major Richard Ira Bong is that he managed it all before his 25th birthday! Very few, if any, do that much in such a short life span.
He's sitting right next to Alexander the Great.
I had an uncle who flew the P38 in World War II. He had 15 kills. Robert Burdett Westbrook Jr. he was killed in late 44 when he and his wingman were both shot down over the ocean. His wingman was recovered with minor injuries. My uncle was never located.
Your uncle is a hero. God bless him, and your family, for the sacrifice ❤❤❤
Love and respect!
@@elizabethannedavis5176 thank you for your kind words. Unfortunately, I never knew him. I did have five other uncles that served and survived the war. Them I all knew, the last of them passing in 2010
Not recovered? Your Hero Uncle just kept flying west, my friend.
May he rest in peace, having done his duty and paid the greatest and hardest price any one person can.
It's one thing to be a badass.
It's another level entirely to be generous and humble WHILE being so badass that most people think it's fiction.
Thank you for emphasizing what a truly decent person he was.
General Kenney did not like people criticizing his "Kids"...Bong was obviously his favorite.
For 25 years I’ve driven over the Bong Bridge (one of the two bridges that connects Superior and Duluth), driving thru Poplar, WI (I just moved from Ashland) numerous times and knew of the great man but didn’t know the details until my youngest sent me this video. What a humble, heroic person. How bittersweet to end up finally marrying your love only to die being a humble man and thinking of others. That’s a heartbreaker for sure.
Thank you for putting this video out there.
If you're still in the area, stop in at the museum in Superior WI. Its really cool and has his actual plane in it.
@@crazybmanp The visitors center at the Belknap intersection? I’ve been meaning to for years.
@@luciastan64 yea, right by the ss meteor which is another cool museum (although that's only open outside of winter)
US hwy 2
@@crazybmanp yupper! Went there years ago. My dad called it a pig boat. Said it was the last one around.
This one brought tears to my eyes... Major bong was my grandpa's hero, and when we toured the Richard Bong museum, grandpa was quoting all the headlines like he was a teen, again. Grandpa died a few years back, and this brought back a bunch of good memories.
Major Bong: *Does his job even further*
General Kenney at any point: We're suffering from success yet again, I just know it...
A Hell of a life, to do so much in such little time and have it end so young. The impact to everyone who's been in his presence in person or in media like catching a shooting star on Polaroid as poetic as the Shooting Star that did him in, you never get stories like this any day, not even in a blue moon. RIP to a true maverick to the very end
Speaking of shooting stars (not the P-80), you reckon Bong would have wanted to progress beyond test piloting to NASA? 🤔
@@PaulieMcCoy Damn sure he will. He is just that cool
@@PaulieMcCoy i suspect he totally would have tried to be an astronaut lol
After the reporters told bong about his 28th kill, I can only imagine the grin of certainty and “I told you so” on his face😂
We have the Bong recreational area off the freeway from where I live in WI. It's great to know that the legendary recreation area from my teenage years is connected to a legendary American ace pilot.
I’m sure nothing illegal happens in the bong recreational area
it was also supposed to be a military air base but was abandoned before they poured the runway just like they pretty much abandoned the upkeep of the atv trails there
Yup 142&75 I pass it every day haha
I have camped there.
@@megilson You steal that sign? I know you did lol. My friends always talked about it.
Every time he scored a strike on a plane it was known as a "Bong Hit" 😂
Maj Bong "handing off" his kills is almost identical to what Col Robin Olds was doing in Vietnam once he got to 4 kills. He knew it would build the morale for his wingmen, and it would keep him from being sent home too soon.
Ironically, Robin Olds was a P-38 pilot in WWII, in the MTO.
Dick Bong.
Man, that's a perfect name to make your high school teachers go completely insane. It's too good.
@@Dragon_Werks yes he was! And he famously had one of his kills during a "glider" incident where dropped his external tanks and forgot to switch to internal tanks, so he lost engine power still was able to maneuver to score the hits.
This man didn’t want hurt anyone, but you don’t fuck with the calmest guy in the Pacific theater.
A note on heros;
You can be one too.
Be ordinary, but do that little bit extra. Over time, people will see it.
You may think youre busting your hump for chumps, but the truth is that if they couldve, they wouldve.
Thats why you are their hero.
"Work harder, *AND* smarter"
-Mike Rowe.
I just recently read "The Right Stuff" by Tom Wolfe and after listening to this story I feel like I can say with certainty that if Bong had survived he very likely would have been selected for the astronaut program and with that kind of public perception may have ended up being the first man in space.
Well, if he was anything like Chuck Yeager, I doubt if he'd have wanted to do that. I imagine he'd have been doing the same thing Chuck did: Keep flying as a test pilot. Chuck was the one that came up with the phrase "spam in a can", if I remember right. (Yeah, I'm a huge fan of Gen. Yeager, in case you couldn't tell! 😂) R.I.P. Charles Yeager.
In Superior, there is a small airport... Richard L. Bong Memorial Airport.
The airport is just south of... University of Wisconsin - Superior
Small towns love their heroes.
Bong almost got his own Air Force Base too
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Bong_State_Recreation_Area
Can't forget the Bong bridge connecting Superior, WI and Duluth, MN
I've lived in Superior WI for only a couple of years but his name is everywhere up here. Thank you for making a video honoring this forgotten war hero. Anyone visiting the area should check out the Bong Veterans Historical Center. They have a restored P38!
General Kenny has basically the disappointed but at the same time proud father energy because he knew that Bong is one of if not the most modest, humble, and greatest fighter pilot of all time. If there was a mount rushmore/ hall of fame for greatest fighter pilot/military personnel, he would be on it.
Him, Roy Benevidez, Willis “Ching” Lee, and a few others who’s names I can’t think of
I sit on the board of directors at the Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center. I would like to thank you for sharing Major Bong’s story! His legacy is amazing!
I have gone by the Veteran center countless times. I’m going to have to swing in there one of these days when I go to the marina.
this is my great uncle, my father helped with the museum in Poplar, WI. so great to see you do a video about him.
The Japanese cursed the P-38 Lighting because of its ability of high-altitude flight which far surpassed the clime rate of the Zero. One Japanese official noted “Pilots too were often heard cursing the speedy P-38s which flaunted their flashing performance. The P-38 pilot was in a most enviable position; he could choose to fight when and where he desired, and on his own terms. Under such conditions, the Lighting became one of the most deadly of all enemy planes.”
I cheered when he finally got home and married Marge. I was praying for a 70+ year marriage. Instead, my heart is aching for all his loved ones, especially Marge. 😢😢 That was a real bummer. Salute to you, Maj. Bong! Thank you for your incredible service to our nation. RIP, Sir.
"It's too dangerous for our hero to keep flying combat missions. Let's put him in brand new planes to test them." Ya, that makes tons of sense.
@@ronjones-6977 He left the military and went to work for a private contractor. Lockheed Martin, I believe it said.
I did not know his story but GD...I just knew he was gonna bite it in the test pilot phase. I'm not crying, you're crying!!!! I love your stuff Nick.
Words cannot begin to describe what i must imagine is the "Ouch" that is getting capped by a P-38's 20mm cannon up close
"Some heroes don't wear capes". Every time I read an article and/or watch a documentary about Maj. Bong, that saying always comes to mind. Thank you Chubby Electron for spending over an hour honoring this man.
"Some heroes wear o2 masks and a giant ball hammock".
-Probably one of Bong's wingman
This is some great history from wisconsin. The Richard Bong museum in superior wi is a great place to check out. If you find yourself there, it's free and filled with a lot of world War 2 history.
alvin and the taliban
There is also Bong Recreational Area south of Milwaukee.
I am gonna go and check out the museum
I have been to the museum and it is well worth the visit.
I'll definitely check it out if I'm ever there!
I was not prepared for you to say that this man was 24 when he passed away. Like this man lived a life that I would've thought he was in his 30's.
Wooooooow. Way to ruin the video with this comment that shows first. Might as well not even finish the 62 minutes of the video.
@@joshua.recovers Trust me. If you didn't, it's worth it.
@@theinquisitor8112 I did listen to the whole thing. You're right, DEFINITELY worth it. My bad, bro.
Timing your kills for deer season is the most country boy gangster shit I’ve heard 😂
I've noticed that every time you tell a story about an American hero losing their life, it really hits you as it should all of us. Thank you so much for taking your time to make sure everyone knows about the gallantry acts of the service members.
Dude your killing it best history teacher ever
Agreed.
Just goes to show you don’t need to go to college an get a degree to be able to teach…. Just my thoughts
@@CowboyNC exactly, I could not agree with you more.
But he is taking college history but it’s ok
"Jimmy! Grab that fighter plane, bring it over here and king me!" Brilliant. I could listen to this stuff all day.
Excellent vid! My grandfather served with Bong and I remember him speaking highly of the man during the rare times he would talk about his service in WWII. Thank you.
HI there. I loved your story of Dick Bong. It was a heart breaker at the end. I am a 70 year old lady and the widow of a retired Navy man. I am a subscriber of your channel and one of my other videos of yours I love is the one on the A-10 Warthog. It is by far the coolest plane in the world bar none. Thank you for your channel because it takes a little pain away from my arthritic legs. Please keep putting out the content. Stay safe out there. Take care and God bless
THANK YOU!!! Thank you for telling his story. As a man from Wisconsin, from a family of pilots, Richard Bong has been my hero since I was a kid even dressed as him to meet his wife and brother at EAA in Oshkosh 30 years ago, got hugs from them both. Thank you for bringing his legend to new people who might have never heard of him.
"Hu-huh. Hey Beavis, he said Bong..."
"Yeah, Boi-oi-oi-oi-oing..."
"No fart knocker, like that thing I found in the back of Todd's car."
"Oh yeah, that water tasted like ass."
"Hu-huh, you drank ass water."
"Shut up, Butthead."
Just found your channel after being recommended by a coworker to watch the Unsubscribe Podcast. Thank you for all the work you put into making these videos. You deserve all the success coming your way. RIP Maj. Bong. One of the greatest stories, if not the greatest, of a heroic individual I've ever heard. May he be remembered forever.
Kelly Johnson is almost single-handedly responsible for ALL American aviation innovation from roughly the 40s to the 70s: F-104 Starfighter, U-2, SR-71, P-38... stuff that isn't public knowledge likely, and much of what he invented is implicitly included in most modern military aircraft.
Johnson had a knack for making things that went higher and faster than people thought was possible.
This is just my opinion, but it's quite bold of you to state that the F-104 was "innovative." It's a missile with a pilot in it and we didn't test it enough before we sent it over to Europe. I'm not saying it's the worst thing out there, but I'm just not a fan of it due to the nearly equal danger it posed to its user, those that worked on it (the razor wings), and those it was pointed at.
@@steeljawX So a jet fighter with extremely small wings isn't innovative, but the U-2 is? How is a plane with very large and long wings innovative? Or would a lifting body (a plane without any wings) not be innovative either? I think you're not being fair. It's not like other planes (for example the U2) weren't far more dangerous earning the moniker "dragon lady" for it's danger to pilots.
@@steeljawX the F-104 is part of the Century series, which I would call innovative. Most of those aircraft were breaking some established rule of aircraft design at the time. In the case of the 104, it was high thrust to weight, low area and low aspect wings. If you look forward to the F-16, we see some heritage there.
@@steeljawX Take everything else out of the list and just focus on the SR-71 then.
Dick Bong is an absolute legend. And the p-38 is so under appreciated. The lighting was a game changer. An actual intercepter. Go ask Admiral Yomomotto about it.
You can still see Yamomottos transport plane in the jungle of Thailand where it crashed
*Yamamoto Isoroku
"How do you manage to shoot down so many enemies compared to everyone else?"
"I just hold my bullets out and the Japanese keep running into them."
I don’t often choose 1hr+ RUclips videos, but this one was worth every minute.
Amazing story. Excellent telling.
P-38 my favorite plane in history. Several times in the European theater the pilots would exhaust their ammunition and continue to pick BF-109s out of the sky by playing chicken, and not flinching. The only airplane in history to officially win a game of chicken every time.
My cousin buzzed our great grandmother’s farm. Nocking off the ball turret on one of the big oaks in the yard. She was so pissed off she was writing Roosevelt until she found out it was him. Then she was mad at him cause he could have killed him self. The rest of the family thought it was hilarious.
Great job on telling this story!
"Would you intercept me?" (Licks lips) "I'd intercept me..."
HLC now needs to have the kid talk to the 38.
Ah, a man of culture, I see...
this is my most liked comment i've ever had. I've officially peaked in life it's all downhill from here XD
Truly A man of culture
“I’d intercept me HARD!”
To this day, I'm still blown away by your content, the research that goes into it, and the comical delivery in which you portray certain parts. Young man, you are a legend, and a true American patriot for sharing these historical things we don't learn about in school, or public. Its almost as if we aren't supposed to be patriotic anymore.
Im a plumber up here in the Minneapolis area. My family is from Duluth and the Iron Range. I grew up hearing about Richard Bong. I have been to his museum in Superior Wisconsin many, many times. I even have a die cast replica of his P-38 in my living room. I thought I knew a everything about Richard Bong, but I learned more than a few things from your video. Thanks for doing this, love your videos!