JULY 27, 2026 – The Wisconsin National Guard has helped return a recovered section of a P-38 Lightning aircraft more than 80 years after Wisconsin native and World War II fighter ace Maj. Richard I. Bong flew combat missions over Papua New Guinea in the plane.
Members of the Wisconsin Air National Guard transported the recovered aircraft section of the plane, which Bong called “Marge,” from Papua New Guinea aboard a KC-135 Stratotanker last week. The recovery was possible through the enduring Department of War National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program partnership between the Wisconsin National Guard and the Papua New Guinea Defence Force.
Brig. Gen. Adria Zuccaro, Wisconsin Air National Guard chief of staff, flew aboard the mission and said returning the historic artifact underscored both the partnership between the two organizations and the legacy of those who served in the Pacific during World War II.
“We are honored to bring a piece of Richard Bong’s legacy home,” Zuccaro said. “The Wisconsin National Guard has a unique relationship with Papua New Guinea, and this mission is another example of how that partnership continues to grow. Today’s Airmen are building on the legacy of those who fought here during World War II, strengthening bonds that began more than 80 years ago.”
The recovered aircraft section remained in the New Guinea Rainforest for decades after Bong was forced to bail out during a mission in 1944. The aircraft was named after Bong’s future wife, Marjorie “Marge” Vattendahl.
Bong, a native of Poplar, Wisconsin, became America’s highest-scoring fighter ace with 40 aerial victories during World War II. His service in the Southwest Pacific made him one of the nation’s most celebrated military aviators, and his legacy remains closely tied to both Wisconsin and Papua New Guinea.
That connection extends beyond Bong’s story.
Wisconsin’s relationship with Papua New Guinea dates to World War II, when Soldiers from the 32nd Infantry Division fought some of the Pacific theater’s most challenging campaigns there. Composed largely of Wisconsin and Michigan National Guardsmen, the division earned a reputation for its endurance and sacrifice during months of continuous combat in New Guinea.
In 2020, Wisconsin and Papua New Guinea became partners through the State Partnership Program. Since then, the Wisconsin National Guard and the Papua New Guinea Defence Force have expanded cooperation through military exchanges focused on disaster response, engineering, medical readiness, leadership development and regional security throughout the Indo-Pacific.
The return of a section of Bong’s plane reflects how that relationship continues to evolve. What began as a shared wartime history has grown into a modern partnership built on military cooperation, professional exchanges and mutual respect.
For Papua New Guinea, preserving and recovering World War II sites helps honor the service members who fought across its rugged terrain. For Wisconsin, the return of a section of Bong’s plane reconnects the state with one of its most distinguished military heroes and preserves an important piece of its history.
The recovered aircraft section will become part of the collection at the Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center in Superior, Wisconsin, where it will help tell the story of Bong’s service and the enduring ties between Wisconsin and Papua New Guinea.
As the Wisconsin National Guard continues to train and work alongside the Papua New Guinea Defence Force, the return of the section of Bong’s plane demonstrates how partnerships built on shared history continue to create opportunities for cooperation, remembrance and service more than eight decades after World War II.
By Leslie Westmont