Located in Superior, Wisconsin, the Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center preserves and honors the memory of Major Richard I. (Dick) Bong and all veterans of World War II and subsequent conflicts, and provides educational resources for the Twin Ports area community and beyond. A native of Poplar, Wisconsin, Major Bong was known as America’s “Ace of Aces” for flying his P-38 Lightning through more than 200 missions over the Southwest Pacific during World War II and destroying 40 enemy planes. Bong survived World War II but, sadly, lost his life testing a jet plane in August 1945.

The Richard I. Bong World War II Historical Center (BVHC) opened to the public on September 24, 2002, on what would have been Dick Bong’s 82nd birthday. The BVHC maintains a remarkable collection of historic records and artifacts that document Wisconsin veterans and their military service including service records, uniforms and insignia, oral history interviews, photographs and scrapbooks, and wartime artifacts including a restored P-38 Lightning!