Bon Homme Richard (CVA 31) - Naval Cruise Book

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CDMMANDING OFFICER Captain Dickson W. Alderton, commanding officer of the attack carrier USS BON HOMME RICHARD lCVA-311, was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan on June 14, 1922, the son of Mr. and Mrs. George S, Alderton. He attended Michigan State University at East Lansing for one year before entering the Naval Academy in 1941. He was graduated and commis- sioned an ensign June 7, 1944 as a member of an accelerated program. He achieved the rank of captain July 1, 1965. Ensign Alderton's first command was the battleship USS INDIANA lBB-58l where he served until September 1945. He then reported for flight training at Pensacola, Florida and Corpus Christi, Texas Naval Air Stations, and was designated a Naval Aviator March 7, 1947. Lieutenant ijgj Alderton joined Fighter Squadron Two-E and was subsequently transferred to Composite Squadron Twelve in July 1948. After four years of flight experience, he became an instructor at the Glenview, Illinois Combat Information School. In April 1953 he was ordered to the USS ORISKANY lCVA-34l for duty afloat as combat information center assistant. Detached from ORISKANY in August 1954, Lieutenant Alderton returned to flight duty with Fighter Squadron 192. He left VF-192 in December 1955 for further aviation duty as a project pilot at the Naval Air Facility, China Lake, California, where he remained until August 1957. After a year and a half of instruc- tion at the Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. and the Air Intelligence School, Washington, , D.C., he became commandin officer of Fi hter Captain D.W. Alderton squaaronws. 9 g Commander Alderton's next assignment was to USS BON HOMME RICHARD as combat information center officer. ln July 1963 he assumed command of Attack Carrier Air Wing Nineteen. Commander Alderton became program director for development of the A-6A Intruder and A-7A Corsair ll in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. He remained in Washington, D.C. to attend the National War College in August 1965. Captain Alderton became skipper of the store ship USS VEGA lAF-59l in August 1966 and is entitled to wear the Meritorious Unit Commendation Ribbon awarded his ship during her tour of duty in Southeast Asia. In November 1967 he joined the staff of Commander Carrier Division One as operations officer. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and is entitled to wear a star on his Meritorious Unit Commendation Ribbon for duty aboard the USS RANGER lCVA-611, flagship of Carrier Division One, Captain Alderton also holds the American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with four stars, World War ll Victory Medal, Navy Occupation Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal Korean Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, Vietnam Service and Campaign Medals. I Captain Alderton is married to the former Barbara H. Ballard of East Lansing, Michigan. They have three children Karen Louise James Dickson and William Robert. The Aldertons make their home in East Lansin Q.

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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.