WWII Artifact Begins Journey Home as U.S., Papua New Guinea Honor Shared History

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea — More than 80 years after the Lockheed P-38 Lightning “Marge” disappeared into the jungles of Papua New Guinea, a surviving wingtip from the legendary World War II fighter began its journey home July 12 aboard a Wisconsin Air National Guard KC-135 Stratotanker during a transfer ceremony in Port Moresby.

Recovered from a crash site in Madang Province through a partnership between Pacific Wrecks, the Papua New Guinea National Museum and Art Gallery, and the Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center, the artifact is bound for Wisconsin, where it will become part of an exhibit at the Veterans Historical Center in Superior under a long-term loan agreement. The recovery effort culminates years of archival research, field expeditions, and collaboration between organizations and communities in both countries.

The ceremony came one day before the opening of Exercise Tamiok Strike 26, highlighting the enduring relationship between Papua New Guinea and the United States. Representatives from the U.S. Embassy in Papua New Guinea, the Wisconsin Army and Air National Guard, Pacific Wrecks, and the Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center gathered to mark the artifact’s homecoming.

Marge was flown by Medal of Honor recipient Maj. Richard I. Bong, America’s “Ace of Aces,” who earned 40 confirmed aerial victories during World War II, the most by any American fighter pilot. Born in Superior, Wisconsin, and raised in nearby Poplar, Bong named the aircraft after his sweetheart, Marjorie “Marge” Vattendahl, whom he later married. Although Bong flew the aircraft in combat and scored three aerial victories in it, Marge was lost on March 24, 1944, while being flown by 2nd Lt. Thomas E. Malone on a weather reconnaissance mission. After suffering engine failure, Malone parachuted safely while the aircraft crashed in what is now Madang Province.

Speaking during the ceremony, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Alex M. Berenberg reflected on the shared history between the two nations.

“Our two nations share a military history forged over 80 years ago in the crucible of the Second World War.”

Berenberg asserted that the discovery of Marge has become more than a historical recovery effort, but reinforcing educational, cultural, and community partnerships between Papua New Guinea and Wisconsin. He highlighted the sister-city agreement between Poplar and Madang, where the aircraft was discovered, as well as a memorandum of intent between the Universities of Wisconsin and the University of Papua New Guinea.

"A piece of Major Bong’s aircraft Marge will find its permanent residence at the Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center in Wisconsin, where it will go on to educate and inspire future generations."

For the Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center, the transfer represents years of dedication to preserving Bong’s legacy.

“We have been working on this project for three years,” said Briana Fiandt, director of collections and exhibits. “Bringing this piece home marks a new beginning for our mission to honor Richard Bong and his legacy.”

Fiandt thanked Pacific Wrecks, the Papua New Guinea National Museum and Art Gallery, the Wisconsin National Guard, and the landowners near the crash site whose stewardship helped preserve the wreck site for decades. She emphasized that the museum’s partnership with Papua New Guinea will continue throughout the duration of the long-term loan and beyond.

The event also underscored the close relationship between Papua New Guinea and the Wisconsin National Guard through the State Partnership Program of the Department of War. Wisconsin National Guard leaders were already in country to participate in the opening of Tamiok Strike 26, an annual bilateral exercise that strengthens military cooperation and interoperability between the Papua New Guinea Defence Force and the United States Armed Forces.

Brig. Gen. Brion Aderman, commander of the Wisconsin Army National Guard, said the ceremony carried special significance for Wisconsin Soldiers, many of whom serve in units whose lineage traces back to formations that fought in Papua New Guinea during World War II.

“Much like the brave citizens of this country, we in the United States and the State of Wisconsin do not forget.”

Brig. Gen. Adria P. Zuccaro, chief of staff-air for the Wisconsin Air National Guard, said the mission symbolizes a promise to those who served in the past and those serving today.

“We will always remember. We will always look for you. We will always treasure what you have done.”

Pacific Wrecks founder Justin Taylan and his team located the aircraft after years of research and close cooperation with local communities and landowners in Madang Province. The aircraft’s distinctive red-painted wingtip and factory serial number confirmed it was Bong’s famous Marge, opening a new chapter in preserving one of America’s most recognizable World War II aircraft.

As the Wisconsin Air National Guard KC-135 lifted off from Port Moresby carrying the wingtip home, it represented far more than the return of a recovered artifact. It symbolized a shared commitment by Papua New Guinea and the United States to preserve history, honor the sacrifices of those who served and strengthen a partnership that began on the battlefields of World War II, and which continues today through exercises like Tamiok Strike 26.

More than eight decades after Allied forces fought together across Papua New Guinea, the journey of Marge serves as a powerful reminder that history is not confined to museums. It continues to build friendships, inspire future generations, and reinforce the enduring bonds between two nations connected by a shared past and a common future.

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.