Mission Marge Brings Legacy of America's 'Ace of Aces' to Guam Airmen

A recovered wingtip from “Marge,” the legacy Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighter aircraft flown by Army Air Forces Maj. Richard Bong, America’s World War II “Ace of Aces” and Medal of Honor recipient, touched down on U.S. soil for the first time in over 80 years at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, July 13.  

The Wisconsin Air National Guard transported the historic artifact as part of Mission Marge, an effort to preserve a piece of World War II aviation history.

“The leading World War II ace, Richard Bong, was born and raised in Poplar, Wisconsin,” said Air Force Brig. Gen. Adria Zuccaro, the Wisconsin Air National Guard chief of staff-air. “The Wisconsin Air National Guard, who’s a state partner, joined in on this really exciting historical moment.”  

Zuccaro and the aircrew participated in the wingtip’s recovery, transporting it aboard an existing mission returning from Papua New Guinea through the War Department National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program.  

The arrival marks a major milestone in Mission Marge, a collaborative preservation endeavor between the Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center and Pacific Wrecks.

The plane, named after Bong’s girlfriend and future wife — Marjorie Ann “Marge” Vattendahl — crashed in the jungles of Papua New Guinea in 1944 and remained undisturbed for decades. The return of this surviving segment bridges the legacy of America’s “Ace of Aces” with the modern Air Force.  

The recovery effort brought together Bong’s family, the Wisconsin Air National Guard, Pacific Wrecks, the Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center, the Papua New Guinea National Museum and Art Gallery and local communities, whose respective representatives made up the Mission Marge delegation that stopped by Andersen.  

Airmen gathered at the base’s Sunrise Conference Center for a briefing led by Justin Taylan, founder of Pacific Wrecks, chronicling Bong’s military legacy and the expedition that uncovered his aircraft.

Taylan explained how historical records, archival research and an expedition to Papua New Guinea led investigators to the crash site in May 2024. The team documented thousands of images of the wreckage before identifying distinctive P-38 Lightning fighter aircraft components, which ultimately confirmed its identity.  

“Where the red paint had faded away, below it, was a black stenciled ’993,’” he said. “Finding the serial number on that wreckage was the sign that we had waited for, that this is Richard Bong’s plane.”  

Mitchell Erickson, Bong’s nephew, answered questions from attendees at the end of the brief, detailing the significance of the recovery to his family and Air Force history.

“Seeing a piece of your history come through, especially the aircraft of the ‘Ace of Aces,’ is significant for airmen today,” Erickson said. 

Andersen Air Force Base served as the first stop for the historic wingtip after departing from Papua New Guinea, and it continued its journey to Hawaii before arriving at its final destination in Wisconsin.  

The wingtip was unveiled during the Experimental Aircraft Association AirVenture Oshkosh 2026 at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, before becoming part of the Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center’s collection in Superior, Wisconsin, where it will preserve Bong’s legacy and educate future generations about one of the nation’s most celebrated pilots.  

“For us [who] are currently serving, I hope what you take from this is that people do remember that our service is important, and it’s not only important for those who serve, but it’s important to your families,” Zuccaro said. “You can take this as a demonstration that 82 years later, there is still family that this is incredibly important to.”