Poplar in Douglas County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Major Richard Ira Bong

1920 – 1945

Photographed By Keith L, June 12, 2011

1. Major Richard Ira Bong Marker

Inscription. This Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighter, through the efforts of General George C. Kenney, was donated by the United States Air Force in memory of Major Richard I. Bong. Major Bong a native of Poplar, was credited with destroying 40 Japanese aircraft in aerial combat and earned the title of "America's Ace of Aces" while flying P-38s in the Southwest Pacific during World War II. In December 1944 Major Bong was awarded the nations highest award the Congressional Medal of Honor for his exploits. General Douglas MacArthur cited the young Wisconsin ace as entering the "society of the bravest of the brave." On August 6, 1945 Major Bong was killed while testing a Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star jet.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • War, World II. In addition, it is included in the Medal of Honor Recipients series list. A significant historical month for this entry is December 1944.

Location. 46° 35.045′ N, 91° 47.836′ W. Marker is in Poplar, Wisconsin, in Douglas County. Marker is on Memorial Drive east of South Village Road, on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4956 Memorial Drive, Poplar WI 54864, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 7 other markers are within 14 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Major "Dick" Bong (approx. ¼ mile away);

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Evergreen Park Cottage Sanatorium (approx. 6.6 miles away); Davidson Windmill (approx. 6.8 miles away); Northwest Portal of Wisconsin (approx. 11.1 miles away); Lake Superior (approx. 11.6 miles away); Brule-St. Croix Portage (approx. 14 miles away); The Brule St. Croix Portage (approx. 14.1 miles away).

More about this marker. After Richard Bong was killed, a small Bong Memorial Room was built in the high school at Poplar. The Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighter, noted on the marker, originally was displayed near the state historical marker located 0.2 miles away. Later, it was moved here, next to the Poplar High School. The Bong Memorial Room in the school was closed after over 50 years when the school building was sold. Only the mounting pylons for the aircraft remain, beyond the marker here, at this site next to the old school.

Also see . . .
1. Richard Bong. Wikipedia entry. (Submitted on June 15, 2011.)

2. Major Richard I.Bong. (Submitted on June 15, 2011.)

Photographed By Keith L, June 12, 2011

2. Major Richard Ira Bong Marker

Maj. Richard Ira Bong, USAAF image. Click for full size.

circa 1945

3. Maj. Richard Ira Bong, USAAF

Photographed By Keith L, June 12, 2011

4. Major Richard Ira Bong Marker

Close-up of Map and Memorial Informational Sign at Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Keith L, June 12, 2011

5. Close-up of Map and Memorial Informational Sign at Marker

Former Poplar High School image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Keith L, June 12, 2011

6. Former Poplar High School

The marker is to the right of the photographer.

Credits. This page was last revised on November 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on June 15, 2011, by Keith L of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 1,038 times since then and 45 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 15, 2011, by Keith L of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. 3. submitted on May 10, 2014, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland. 4, 5, 6. submitted on June 15, 2011, by Keith L of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin.