Ace of Aces: The Story of Fighter Pilot Dick Bong

Ace of Aces, originally published in 1962, is the account of the illustrious career of Richard Ira "Dick" Bong, fighter pilot in the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) and the United States' highest-scoring air ace. Bong is credited with having shot down at least 40 Japanese aircraft during World War II, all from his P-38 Lightning fighter. For his actions, he was awarded the Medal of Honor. Following the war, Bong became a test pilot assigned to Lockheed's Burbank, California plant, where he flew the new P-80 Shooting Star jet fighter. On August 6, 1945, the jet's primary fuel pump malfunctioned during takeoff, and while Bong managed to eject from the aircraft, he was too low for his parachute to deploy, and was killed in the accident. Tragically, Bong was only 25 years old. His death was front-page news across the country, sharing space with the first news of the bombing of Hiroshima. Author General George Kenney was commander of air forces in the Pacific during World War Two. Included are 8 pages of illustrations.