USS Bon Homme Richard

The USS Bon Homme Richard CVA was an Essex-class aircraft carrier that was launched on November 26, 1944 and was then nicknamed “Bonnie Dick” while being built at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The USS Bon Homme Richard CVA set sail on her maiden voyage in 1944 where she conducted various operational training exercises while in the Chesapeake Bay. The following year in 1945, she was decidedly ready for battle and set sail on her cruise through the Panama Canal transit system all the way to San Diego Bay and then on to Pearl Harbor. At that point, the ship headed to the Caroline Islands where she officially joined the Fast Carrier Force 38.

The USS Bon Homme Richard CVA stayed there until June 30, 1945 where she was conducting night flights as well as training troops and replenishing forces on the front lines of the Japanese home islands. The Bon Homme Richard assisted in assault operations against the Hokkaido, Kyushu, Honshu, and Shikiku island during the fall of 1945. When the Japanese Imperial Fleet officially surrendered the Task Force 38 including the USS Bon Homme Richard CVA was charged with continuing to patrol the Far East's waters. The USS Bon Homme Richard CVA then became a part of the "Magic Carpet" mission in late 1945 which is when U. S. ships ferried allied troops from Guam and other Pacific Islands to the United States. Upon completion of many months of training and a shakedown voyage and repairs, the ship joined Task Force 77 to help soldiers in the Wonsan area while fighting in Korea.

She carried out many strikes against North Vietnam's Red River Valley and multiple attacks on enemy locations and destroyed fourteen interceptor planes and launching a record seventy three strikes against enemies. The Bon Homme Richard was the very first carrier to deploy to Vietnam's combat infested waters on six different occasions. She was retired and dry docked in San Francisco Bay and was officially decommissioned in July of 1971. Interestingly enough, it was later a widely known fact that the lead singer of the Doors Jim Morrison's father, George S. Morrison, had served as Commanding Officer of this ship, the highest rank available aboard vessels, from November 23, 1963 until November 25, 1964. The USS Bon Homme Richard CVA was officially decommissioned on July 2nd, 1971.

The USS Bon Homme Richard CVA and her crew fought brave in their fight for their countries freedoms, but they were in danger even aboard their safe ship, unknowingly. Asbestos fibers were used to build the ship, mainly within the ships insulation dealing with piping. While at one time asbestos was a commonly used building material, it’s been discovered to be toxic since then. Exposure to asbestos can lead to diseases such as mesothelioma cancer. For this reason anyone who has been exposed to any materials made from asbestos should seek medical counsel right away and take the proper steps to receive mesothelioma treatment if their doctor diagnoses them with this aggressive disease.

Last modified: December 09 2009.