The Richard I Bong Veterans Historical Center (P-38 Fund) are a 501c3 non-profit museum located on the on the Bay of Lake Superior in “The Original Twin Port”, Superior, Wisconsin.
For over 50 years, a memorial to Richard I. Bong was in place in Poplar, Wisconsin, about 15 miles east of the Twin Ports cities of Duluth, Minnesota, and Superior, Wisconsin. Major Richard Bong of Poplar, is America’s all-time leading Ace Pilot. He piloted a P-38 Lightning through more than 200 missions over the Southwest Pacific in World War II and destroyed 40 enemy planes – the most by any United States pilot to date.
After Major Bong tragically died in 1945, a group of businessmen and residents from his hometown of Poplar formed the Richard Ira Bong Memorial Foundation, Inc., intending to raise funds for a memorial that would include a Lockheed P-38 Lightning, like those flown by Dick.
Memorial funds were raised with the help of the Veterans of Wisconsin and other interested groups and individuals; the Richard I. Bong American Legion Post #435 acquired a P-38 from the Air Force and donated it for the memorial.
The Bong Center opened in 2002 in nearby Superior with the help of Bong’s former wife, Marge Bong Drucker. Our exhibits honor local veterans from WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and other modern conflicts. Our museum is dedicated to sharing and preserving their stories as well as passing on the legacy of our hometown Hero, Dick Bong.
WELCOME TO THE ORIGINAL TWIN PORT!
We are listed on Trip Advisor as one of the top 5 best places to visit in Superior! Given a 4.5 out of 5 stars with 105 reviews!
In Travel Magazine’s ‘12 Unique Things To Do in Duluth’ article, The Bong Center is described as “a fascinating and beautifully presented local history museum. On display are various war relics and military vehicles, as well as a restored P-38 Lightning plane, that tells the story of Bong, along with other local war veterans and the wider contribution of the twin port area to World War II.”
We are rated 4.8 out of 5 stars with over 400 reviews on Google!
