Searching for Bong's Plane-- Part 2: A Good Chance the Wreckage Will Be Found

Another pilot, Thomas Malone, was flying the plane in March 1944 over what is now known as Papua New Guinea when engine failure sent it into a spin.  Malone bailed out before the plane crashed into the jungle.

Pacific Wrecks founder Justin Taylan will lead the search for the plane and plans to leave for Papua New Guinea in May.  He believes the search could take almost a month and cost $63,000 generated through generations.

Furthermore, he is confident that he will be successful since historical records provide an approximate location of the crash site.  But, he is not sure that there is enough left to positively identify the plane as the Marge.

Bong shot down more planes than any other American pilot, earning him celebrity status.  General Douglas MacArthur awarded him the Medal of Honor, the highest U.S. military decoration in 1944.

--GreGen