Bon Homme Richard (CVA 31) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 20 text:

As BON HOMME RICHARD was steaming towards Ik Fast Carrier Strikin Force, iier mission was almost altered. scheduled mcctin ' wiih llu The unexpected speed of the advance across the Pacific and the many facets of fast carrier activities outdistanced official Navy thinking on the roles and missions ol liie Fast Carrier Task Force. At the beginning of 1945, Washington-based officers were jusi starting to absorb the lessons of the recent Ciurier battles of the Philippine Sc.i and (lajie Engano-Lcyte. To these men, destruction of the Japanese fleet was still the pai.iinount objective.

Page 19 text:

Tlic folic ) ving arc a leu the original crew of C ' -: ' 1 Its from ilic -Welcome Alx.ard |) ' •44. Notice aii liiing different? ilel handed out t( IT ' S AN ALL-HANDS JOB, IHIS MKANS VOU! TAILS OVER THE DASHBOARD LET ' S GO! REMEMBER! This ship is thi cn by steam. It takes water to make steam, aiui it takes fuel oil lo run our evaporators, which convert sea water to fresh water, which in turn is used in our boilers to make steam. So, DON ' T WASTE WATER, as it costs us in fuel oil. GENERAL INFORMATION MAIL It is of the utmost importance that ail personal mail he mailed aboard ship, unsealed, .uid in accordance with the ship ' s censorship regulations. Telegrams both outgoing and incoming, will be censored. Telegrams will be kept to .ui absolute minimum and usetl only in emergency. MESSING NOTES will be sened in line at sen ' ice table No. , located in compartment . Line forms tailing aft at hatch frame, Hangar Deck. You will sit down to eat in Compartment . The section going off watch will have priority in mess line and ser ung to this section will commence at (1) (2) (3) (4) . The section coming off watch will fall in at end of line as soon as relieved. BE MILITARY Learn Your Ship From Stem lo Stern and Top to Bottom ' Be A Man-of-Warmanshii CLOTHING AND SMALL STORES Purchases will be made for cash. You are required to have a full bag of REGULATION clothing, properly marked. Mark it as soon as you draw it. The Bluejacket ' s Manual, Chapter 10, tells you how to do it. GET RID OF YOUR NON-REGULATION CLOTHING NOW. You can be an individualist after the war is over. No Lighter Fluid Permitted Aboard!

Page 21 text:

In March, diirint:; a visit to Wasliinnton, Admiiai llaiscy was amused in Icarti that certain high officials feared a possible Japanese carrier raid on San Francisco during the United Nations conference there. On 27 March, therefore, Admiral Nimit . appointed Halsey Commander Mid-Pacific Striking Force, charged with interception and destruc- tion of enemy raiding forces, comprised of carriers BON HOMME RICHARD and RANGER, and all available surface units at Hawaii and West Coast ports. I ' his might have been a treinendous success, but the Japanese were totally uncoopera- tive - their surface fleet was dead. BON HOMME RICHARD continued on to her primary mission, joining Task Force 38.