1 week Ago By Post-Courier Contributor
BY JOMELEEN PARI THE National Museum and Art Gallery has unveiled the first display for its new Aviation Heritage Centre Hangar in Port Moresby yesterday. The display was devoted to America’s top ace pilot of WW2, Major Richard Ira Bong, who is credited with 40 aerial victories where most of his air combat took place in the skies of Papua New Guinea. On behalf of the Richard I.
Bong Veterans Historical Centre in Superior, Wisconsin, USA, a first overseas partner of the museum, Justin Taylan (founder of Pacific Wrecks, an NGO), handed over the display panel to Alois Kuaso, Acting Director for the National Museum and Art Gallery, who officially cut the wrap for the unveiling. “We are grateful that Bong Centre is partnering with us to bring a piece of American history into our exhibitions here at the museum,” Mr. Kuaso said.
Mr. Kuaso also revealed that the Museum currently has an ongoing MoU with Pacific Wrecks who is providing additional support to certain areas of work to support the museum’s mission. Mr.
Taylan said that the ultimate way to pay respect to history is to come to the places where it happened. “As a thank you to the people of PNG and the national museum, we wanted to donate this exhibit so that his story is known and he is remembered. This panel is a tribute to the aircraft and the discovery,” he said.
.
