BONG, RICHARD I.
(Air Mission)
Rank and organization: Major, U.S. Army
Air Corps. Place and date: Over Borneo and Leyte, 10 October to 15 November 1944.
Entered service at: Poplar, Wis. Birth: Poplar, Wis. G.O. No.:
90, 8 December 1944.
Citation:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action above and beyond the call of duty in
the Southwest Pacific area from 10 October to 15 November 1944. Though assigned to duty as
gunnery instructor and neither required nor expected to perform combat duty, Maj. Bong
voluntarily and at his own urgent request engaged in repeated combat missions, including
unusually hazardous sorties over Balikpapan, Borneo, and in the Leyte area of the
Philippines. His aggressiveness and daring resulted in his shooting down 8 enemy airplanes
during this period.
