Editing Richard Bong (section)

==Early life==
Bong was born September 24, 1920, in [[Superior, Wisconsin]], the first of nine children born to Carl Bong, an immigrant from [[Sweden]], and Dora Bryce,<!-- nee? --> who was an American of Scottish-English descent.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.nationalaviation.org/our-enshrinees/bong-richard/ |title=The National Aviation Hall of Fame |access-date=2017-09-30 |archive-date=2017-10-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171001031202/http://www.nationalaviation.org/our-enshrinees/bong-richard/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Known by the common nickname "Dick", he grew up on a farm in [[Poplar, Wisconsin]], where he became interested in aircraft at an early age while watching planes fly over the farm carrying mail for President [[Calvin Coolidge]]'s [[List of residences of presidents of the United States#Summer White House|Summer White House]] in Superior,<ref>[https://www.bvhcenter.org/bong-bio/ Veterans Historical Center]</ref> and was an avid model builder.

Bong entered Poplar High School in 1934, where he played the clarinet in the marching band and participated in baseball, basketball, and hockey. Because Poplar was a three-year school at the time, Bong transferred to Central High School in Superior for his senior year, graduating in 1938.{{Sfn|Yenne|2009|p=|pp=22–25}}

He began studying at Superior State Teachers College (the current-day [[University of Wisconsin–Superior]]) in 1938. While there, Bong enrolled in the [[Civilian Pilot Training Program]] and also took private flying lessons. On May 29, 1941, he enlisted in the [[United States Army Air Corps|Army Air Corps]] [[Aviation Cadet Training Program (USAAF)#Aviation Cadet Program (USAAF), 1940–47|Aviation Cadet Program]]. One of his flight instructors was Captain [[Barry Goldwater]] (later [[List of United States Senators from Arizona|a U.S. Senator from Arizona]]).