Bon Homme Richard (CVA 31) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 27 text:

Dick and Hokkaido, intmsiing tiiiHino tdiircon dand« for a prob- The attacks were divided into two periods horn July 2 to August 15, 1945, and August 16 to September 2, 1945. During the latter interval the planes from the carrier flew no offensive strikes but were put alott merely as a defensive measure. Negotiations were under- way for the Japanese surrender, and all fleet units were ordered to engage only in passive measures. On August 23, 1945. Captain H.F. Fick relieved Captain Rule of command. From August 31 through September 15, the ship operated off the south and east coasts of Honshu, flying CAP and airfield reconnaissance flights.

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Day after day and night after night BON HOMME RICHARD ' S embarked air wing launched and recovered aircraft aimed at the Japanese home islands. This was no easy task. There was no room for error. If an aircraft came in too high or too low there was no angled deck to bolter from; it meant crashing into the barricade or the aircraft that had already been recovered. As a member o( the Third Fleet, Bonnie Dick and her planes struck enemy installations on Hokkaido, Kyushu, Honshu and Shikiku. One of tiie interesting elements of this attack was the use of the carrier as an element of surface bombardment. During this period of oper.it ions she sustained no damage from the enemy. The ship ' s guns opened .fire on enemy aircraft u lien a Japanese Grace attacked and was downed by ihc siiip ' s aircrafl. This accounted for a total ..I ten eiicniy aircralt wiiicii included tu,. pn.b- al)les.

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Any ship is only as good as the men who sewe on her. When the story is told it is always the story of the ship. The men seem lost in the overall picture. Thanks to Mr. Elmer Buttrey, a crew member of CV-31, we are able to show you the men of BHR as they were during 1944 and 45. U.S.S. BON HOIVD tknw