Following the attack on Pearl Harbor in Dec 1941, America turned its full industrial might against its foes and struck the first major blow against the Japanese at the Battle of Midway.
Slowly but surely, the island-hopping campaigns brought glory to the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. Overhead, the Americans were gaining total air superiority which was helped in part by the quality of the aircraft - the legendary Japanese Zero which once caused so much damage in 1941, was now up against the very best of American design. Aircraft such as F6F Hellcats, F4U Corsairs, and the mighty P- 38 Lightning that was so feared by the Japanese pilots. Flown by some of the top U.S. Aces of the war, the twin-engine Lightning cut a swathe through the remaining Japanese airpower.

One such Ace was Major Richard 'Dick' Bong whose combat record was unmatched by any other American fighter pilot during the war. Credited with shooting down 40 Japanese aircraft and a recipient of the Medal of Honor, Bong's legacy is forever etched into the history books.

In an exquisite tribute America's leading Ace, Richard Taylor portrays an action on 7 December 1944, exactly three years after the attacks at Pearl Harbor. With amphibious landings by the 77th Infantry Division underway at Albuera, south of Ormoc City in the Philippines, Bong and his wingman, Floyd H. Fulkerson Jr, complete a head-on pass against a damaged Ki-44 Tojo.
It was a busy day for Bong who added another two victories to his tally, numbers 37 and 38.
(Alongside the main print is a completely separate portrait of Bong in the cockpit of his beloved P-38 Lighting.)

However, tragedy struck on 6 August 1945 when Bong took to the skies for the last time. Piloting a P-80 Shooting Star he lost his life when the primary fuel pump malfunctioned which resulted in an explosion and crash. It was the same day that an atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, but the death of the 24 year-old airman still made front-page headlines in newspapers such as the Los Angeles Times who reported this about their leading Ace:

"You see, we not only loved him, we boasted about him, we were proud of him," recounted Lt. Gen. Kenney. "That's why each of us got a lump in our throats when we read that telegram about his death. Major Bong, Ace of American Aces in all our wars, is destined to hold the title for all time.