Bon Homme Richard (CVA 31) - Naval Cruise Book

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ffj fa W EXECUTIVE OFFICER Robair Ferris Mohrhardt was born at Brooklyn, New York, April 18, 1925. He now calls Hamburg, New York his home. A member of the U.S. Naval Academy'S graduating class of 1949, Ensign Mohrhardt was ordered to Naval Air Training Command, Pensacola, Florida for flight training. He earned his wings in December, 1950. Ensign Mohrhardt reported immediately to Fighter Squadron 112 which was then preparing for a combat tour in the Far East. He flew 150 combat missions in Korea flying Grumman F9F-2 Panther jet fighters on two separate tours of duty. His squadron was embarked aboard the carriers USS PHILIPPINE SEA ICV-47l and USS KEARSARGE lcv-331. Lieutenant Ijunior gradel Mohrhardt left VF-112 in 1954 to assume flight instructor duties with Advanced Training Unit 206 at Sherman Field, NAS Pensacola, Florida. Lieutenant Mohrhardt attended classes at Naval Intelligence School, Washington, D.C., in 1957. He then joined the staff of Commander Carrier Division Two in 1958 as strike operations officer. His tenure there included cruises in USS FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT ICVA-42l, USS INTREPID ICVA-11l and USS INDEPENDENCE ICVA-62l. Lieutenant Commander Mohrhardt was ordered to Light Photographic Squadron 62 in 1960, where he flew the Chance Vought RF-8 Crusader as the Officer- in-Charge of Detachment 59 aboard USS FORRESTAL ICVA-59l. In 1962, Lieutenant Commander Mohrhardt returned to fighters again with Fighter Squadron 174 flying the fighter version of the F-8 Crusader. He was a flight instructor as well as the squadron's maintenance officer. Lieutenant Commander Mohrhardt was promoted to Commander May 1, 1964 and reported to Fighter Squadron 53 as executive officer aboard USS TICONDEROGA ICVA-14l. He became the iron CDR R'F' Mohrhardt Angels commanding officer in May, 1965. On August 2, 1964, Commander Mohrhardt led the first group of fighters from USS TICONDEROGA that went to the assistance of USS MADDOX IDD-7311 when she was attacked by North Vietnamese PT boats in the Gulf of Tonkin. He also led a retaliatory strike on the North Vietnamese PT boat base at Quang Khe August 5, 1964. Subsequently in his two tours with Fighter Squadron 53 he flew 165 combat missions over Vietnam. Near the end of his second Vietnamese combat tour, on April 19, 1966, Commander Mohrhardt's F-8 Crusader was hit by enemy anti-aircraft fire while participating in a major attack on the large Haiphong Railroad and Highway Bridge. He managed to keep his aircraft in the air long enough to reach the Gulf of Tonkin where he successf sea by helicopter. ully ejected from the burning plane and was rescued at In 1966, Commander Mohrhardt was ordered to the Office of the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Air IOP-O5Wl in Washington, D.C. , Commander Mohrhardt returned to the Western Pacific as operations officer of USS BON HOMME RICHARD ICVA-311 in AuguSt, 1968, and became the ship's executive officer five months later. He was recently selected for promotion to Captain. Commander Mohrhardt's flight experience includes over 700 arrested carrier landings and more than 4 000 flying hours including 3,500 hours in jet fighters, of which over 2,000 hours were flown in the F-8 Crusader. I I He has been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross ltwo awardsl, the Bronze Star with Combat V and fourteen Air Medals. Commander Mohrhardt also wears the Naval Commendation Medal Itwo awardsl and the Purple Heart. ' Additionally, he is eligible to wear the Navy Unit Commendation lthree.awardsl World War ll Victory Medal U N Service Medal Korean Service Medal, China Service Medal, American Theatre Medal, N t' I I I I I Medals. Commander Mohrhardt resides with his wife, Beverly and their two children a Iona Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service and Campaign . Cynthia, 15 and Peter, 13, in La Jolla, California.

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