Bon Homme Richard (CVA 31) - Naval Cruise Book

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rear admiral Zester lc. rice A man of the sea is Rear Admiral Lester K. Rice, Commander, Carrier Division Seven. And a man of the air, too. Carrier Division Seven was established by the Chief of Naval Cperations March 1, 1956, consisting of the Bon Homme Richard and the USS Essex CCVA-9D with Alameda NAS as its home port. Admiral Rice was graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in the class of 1924 and received his aviator's Wings in 1927. Shipboard tours included the USS Lexington, Colorado, and West Virginia. His first ship com- mond Was the seaplane tender USS Matogorda in 1942. The outbreak of the Korean War placed Admiral Rice in command of the carrier USS Valley Forge CCVA-455. He has since served as Commanding Officer of NAS, San Diego and Assistant Chief of Naval Operations for Flight Readiness. His decorations include the Legion of Merit and Bronze Star.

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commander r.w. aamer, who was with as or all 0 oar far eastern craise Assuming duties as Executive Officer April 5, 1956, after relieving Cdr. W.N. Leonard, Cdr. Rex Walton Warner reached another step in his naval aviation career. He began his naval officership in 1935 when he entered the Naval Academy from which he graduated in 1939 With a degree in electrical engineering. Cdr. Warner has served aboard the cruiser USS Houston, the destroyer USS Rodgers, and the battleship USS New York. After serving at NAS Jacksonville in World War 11, the commander became the air officer of the carrier USS Wasp in 1945 to mark his first aviation assign- ment. Following his Wasp duty, Cdr. Warner remained at sea as executive officer of seaplane tender USS Pocomoke. In June, 1950, he became executive officer of Fasron 102 and later commanding ofhcer of VP-5. He was assigned to Commander, Naval Forces Far East at Yokosuka, Japan, as operations officer after tours of duty at Norfolk, Va., and NAS, Corpus Christi, Texas. The commander came to the Bon Homme Richard from his Far Eastern post. X f f

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captain i. m. hampton Capt. Isaiah Martin Hampton, Chief of Staff of Carrier Division Seven, assists RAdm. Rice in the administration of the Bon Homme Richard and USS Essex QCVA-95, CarDiv Seven's other responsiblity. Born in 1910 at Montgomery, Ala., the captain was commissioned an ensign upon graduation from the U.S. Naval Academy May 31, 1934. His many years of naval service range from initial duty aboard the cruiser USS Trenton from 1934 to 1936 to becoming a naval aviator upon completion of flight training at Pensacola, Fla., in August, 1937. During World War II, Capt. Hampton served With carrier air groups aboard the USS Enterprise and Shangri-la as Well as service in England. Before assuming his position with CarDiv Seven, the captain commanded the USS Jupiter QAVS-81.