WWII P-38 Lightning 'Marge' Recovered from Papua New Guinea Jungles

The fighter plane, serial number 42-103993, was named 'Marge' by Bong in honor of his girlfriend, Marjorie Vattendahl. During the Pacific campaign, Bong achieved legendary status, credited with downing 40 Japanese aircraft before receiving the Medal of Honor from General Douglas MacArthur. His post-war life was brief; he died shortly after returning home while testing a new jet in California.

Justin Taylan, director of Pacific Wrecks, led the recovery effort alongside the Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center and the Wisconsin Air National Guard. With logistical support from the U.S. Embassy in Port Moresby, the team successfully secured the wingtip artifact and transported it back to the United States aboard a KC-135R Stratotanker. The recovery serves as a poignant homecoming for a piece of military history, bridging the gap between the Pacific theater and the pilot’s home state.

Following its arrival, the wreckage is slated for display at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, the world’s largest airshow. Once the exhibition concludes, the artifact will move to its permanent residence at the Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center in Superior, Wisconsin. Russell Lee, retired chair of the Aeronautics Department at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, noted that returning the plane to U.S. soil provides a significant connection to Bong’s wartime legacy.