Bon Homme Richard (CVA 31) - Naval Cruise Book

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Harbor, T. H., and upon arrival, April 14, 1945, ioined the Third Fleet and participated in the following campaigns against the enemy: Strikes on Airfield on KYUSHU in support of Okinawa opera- tions-June 8, 1945. Strikes on OKINO DAITO-June 9-10, 1945. Strikes on Airfield and Industrial Installations in Tokyo Area- July 10, 1945. Strikes on Airfield and Industrial Installations in Northern HON- SHU HAKKAIDO-July 14, 1945. Bombardment of MURORAN and KAMAISHI-July 15, 1945. Strikes on Airfields and YOKOSUKA Naval Base in Tokyo Area -July 17-18, 1945. HITACHI Bombardment-July 18, 1945. Strikes on Airfields and Shipping in KOBE-OSAKA area-July 24-25, 1945. Strikes on Airfields and Shipping in KYUSHU SHIKOKU, HON- SHU-July 28, 1945. Bombardment of HAMMAMATSU-Strikes on Southern HON- SHU-July 30, 1945. Strikes on Airfields in Northern and Central HONSHU-August 9-10, 1945. Bombardment of KAMAISHI-August 10, 1945. Strike on Tokyo Area-August 13, 1945. She flew the flag of Commander Carrier Division 7 during this period and operated the aircraft of Night Carrier Air Group Ninety-one. Both ship and air group earned a distinguished war record. Upon completion of World War II, the U.S.S. BON HOMME RICHARD ICV-311 was assigned Magic Carpet duty until ordered to the Pacific Reserve Fleet for inactivation after steam- ing a total of 92,245 miles and conducting a total of 7856 landings, and was decommissioned at Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington, on July 31, 1946.

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HERIIHIHE N FEBRUARY 4, 1779, John Paul Jones received the French ship Duc de Duras from Louis XVI and renamed it BON HOMME RICHARD for his friend Benjamin Franklin. This small ship, carrying a crew of 375 and mounting 42 guns, was soon destined to make naval history. By August, 1779, she became flagship of John Paul Jones' fleet of seven ships. The BON HOMME RICHARD became famous in the action which occurred on September 23, 1779, when a fleet of 41 sail was sighted off Flamborough Head, Scotland. During the battle which followed, the BON HOMME RICHARD suffered a severe blow at the outset of the fight when three of the guns burst, killing and wounding many of her best officers and men, and blowing up the deck above them. At this critical point, Captain Pearson of HMS SERAPIS drew his ship alongside and hailed the BON HOMME RICHARD, calling out, Has your ship struck? to which John Paul Jones replied with an answer which has echoed in the hearts of fight- ing Americans to this day: I HAVE NOT YET BEGUN TO FIGHT! Her gallant career closed, the BON HOMME RICHARD sank, her flag still flying, but before she went down the SERAPIS had surrendered to Jones and his crew. The first page in American Naval history had been written. The U.S.S. BON HOMME RICHARD ICV-311 is an attack Aircraft Carrier of 27,100 tons displacement and 876 feet in over-all length. She was constructed at the New York Naval Shipyard, keel laid February 1, 1943, launched April 29, 1944, and commissioned November 26, 1944. Subsequent to a shakedown cruise in the Caribbean, she proceeded to the Pacific, arriving at San Diego, California, March 31, 1945. On April 1, 1945, she proceeded to Pearl

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CAPTAIN CECIL B. GILL, USN, Commanding Off Class of l925 Naval Academy. l925-27: U.S.S.California. l927-28: U.S.S. Utah. l928-29: Naval Air Station, Pensacola lflight trainingl. l929-31: VF-5, U.S.S. Lexington. l93l-32: VP-6 Pearl Harbor Honolulu, T. H. 1932-34: Post-graduate school Annapolis. 1934 36: U S S. Ran er. l93d-37. U S.S T I , - .. g - . . en- nessee lsenior aviatorl. T937-39 Naval Air Station, San Diego. T939-40: VS-42, U.S.S. Ranger. 1940 43: S ff ' ' ' ' - ' ' ta , Commander Carrier Division l, Commander Air Scouting Force and Commander Fleet Air West Coast. i943-44: Executive Officer, U.S.S. Enterprise. T944-45: Chief of Staff, Comma d C ' T L 0 .2 n er arrier rans- port Squadron Pacific Fleet l945-46- Commanding Officer U SS V ll G lf . . , . . . e Cl U ICVE llll and U.S.S. Rr-2r1ClOVC1 lCVE ll41. l946-49: Commanding Officer, Naval Air Station, Glenview Illinois l949-5O- Com- d N l O ' man er, ava perating Base, Kwaialein and Governor Marshalls. Captain Gill came to his present assignment from a short tour in Aviation Plans Division, Deputy Chief of N l O ' ava perations for Air. He holds the Bronze Star and Navy Unit Citation, U.S.S. Enterprise.