SUPERIOR — Executive Director John Gidley can't get over the sight of the piece of aluminum that was once part of the wingtip of Richard I. Bong's legendary P-38 Lightning airplane. It's now available to view in its temporary exhibit at the center named after the air ace.
"I can look at that piece of aluminum, see the red paint and the ‘993,’ and know that this is a physical piece of the very airplane that Richard Bong flew," Gidley said. "I can tell you there is something incredibly humbling about standing in front of that wingtip and knowing where it came from — and how for more than 80 years it was sitting in the jungle basically unprotected and somehow it made its way here. Knowing how important it was to Jerry, Dick's sister, to get it here still amazes me. Gratitude is mostly what I feel."
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The wingtip that was recovered from Papua New Guinea is now on public display on the lower level of the museum directly in front of the museum's P-38 Lightning — the same model of WWII plane that Bong flew and adorned in replica with the famous image of Marge Vattendahl Bong.
The current display is only temporary as the museum seeks more funding for a more comprehensive display about Mission Marge: from the crashed plane's rediscovery to its recovery and journey to the region where Bong grew up. The museum is looking for a new curator of collections and exhibits, according to Gidley, so the plan is to fill that position first.
"What it will look like when complete is something that encompasses the whole story and gives visitors a great feel for the people and culture of Papua New Guinea," Gidley said. "We will find a more permanent spot for it in the museum, but the important thing is that it is here and available for the public to share our excitement over it."
When the wingtip traveled home to Wisconsin last month, the story received broad coverage from multiple TV networks and other large media outlets including The New York Times, Washington Post, Stars and Stripes, and Newsweek.
"It has been crazy," Gidley said. "All of the attention reassured us that we made the right decision to go forward with the mission. It was a big risk for a museum of our size. It has made a noticeable difference in the museum and continues to do so."
The Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center at 305 Harbor View Parkway is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m .Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays for self-guided tours. Admission is $5 to $12 per person or $45 per family. Guided tours are availabe with a reservation at bongcenter.org.
The media coverage has led to an increase in visitors to the museum as people traveled from as far as New Zealand to France to see the piece, according to Gidley.
"It has certainly given us a great deal of visibility and I think a certain increase in our credibility as a museum," he said. "The media attention has exposed us to a lot of potential new visitors, museum partnerships and possible collaborations by introducing us to organizations and individuals that we could have never reached on our own."