A new sister city partnership has been established between Poplar, Wisconsin and Madang, Papua New Guinea.
It all started back in 2024, when the Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center partnered with Pacific Wrecks, locating the wreckage of Major Bong’s Marge, his P-38 Lightning aircraft. It was tucked away in the jungles of Papua New Guinea for more than eight decades.
Related: Richard Bong’s P-38 fighter plane, ‘Marge,’ discovered in Papua New Guinea
With the discovery of the wreckage, a new connection was formed between the Center and the pacific nation, resulting in cultural outreach efforts coordinated with the U.S. State Department and Sister Cities International.
Representatives from the Bong Center and Sister Cities International made the trip to Madang in July 2025 to formally establish the partnership.