WWII Ace's 'Marge' Jet Piece Returns Home After 80 Years

A significant piece of aviation history has returned to Wisconsin, more than 80 years after its crash. A wingtip from the Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighter, famously nicknamed 'Marge' by World War II ace Richard Bong, has been brought from Papua New Guinea to the United States. This artifact represents a tangible connection to Bong's combat legacy.

The aircraft, named after Bong's girlfriend, Marge Vattendahl, crashed in March 1944 over what is now Papua New Guinea when its pilot, Thomas Malone, experienced engine failure. The wreckage remained lost for decades until a collaborative search effort was launched in March 2024.

Explorers located the remnants of 'Marge' in the jungles of Papua New Guinea's Madang province, with its original paint still visible. A joint mission involving officials from the Richard I Bong Veterans Historical Center, family members of Richard Bong, and the Wisconsin National Guard, aided by Pacific Wrecks, successfully retrieved a section of the wingtip.

Wisconsin National Guard members, who have a partnership with Papua New Guinea, transported the 6ft-long aluminum wingtip aboard a military refueling tanker. The artifact first traveled to Port Moresby, then to Milwaukee. After an airshow display and a visit to Poplar, Wisconsin, the wingtip was moved to its namesake historical center in Superior, Wisconsin.

This recovery highlights extensive negotiations with the government of Papua New Guinea, local landowners, and the national museum. Pacific Wrecks spent two years securing permits and agreements, ensuring a section of the plane was also returned to Papua New Guinea's national museum. The wingtip is on a permanent loan to the Bong Center, where it is expected to inspire future generations.