Bon Homme Richard (CVA 31) - Naval Cruise Book

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Mrs. John S. McCain The New York Times, With an inspiring Good luck and good hunting to wish her well the BON HOMME RICHARD, 27,000 tons of bad news for the Axis, shd down the ways at the New York Navy Yard in Brooklyn at 4 P.M. yesterday, the thirteenth aircraft carrier of the Essex Class built since America ' s entry into the war. More than 40,000 persons, most of them standing in .iwed silence watched the powerful carrier, proud name- sake of one of America ' s greatest fighting ships, as she cased int.. the i)iacid East River waters and glided niajcslicailv lialf wav across to the Maniiatlan shnre! The sjionsor of the ve Washington, wife of Vici Adnn M.S. Joini S. McCain: al M.Cain, Deputy Chi of Naval Air Operations. Flanking Mrs. McCain as she broke the traditional bottle of champagne across the vessel ' s bow, were Mrs. Frank Balsdcl of Brooklyn and Mrs. Allen Raymond of Manhattan, matrons of honor. edi launching were i)rief, am customary reception was cancelled because oi ihc c of Secretary Frank Knox. F ' lags throughout the van! at half mast. . pra er was offered in his nun Admiral Ernest J. King. Connnander-in-Clud ol Navy, was miablc l.i attend because of busiiu Vaship.oi,,n, but a message, hailing the lauiuhm another step toward vu toiA . was read on his belial leath Hew

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the ?iinfor and ' some f foot- Jv over several owdet, ' ilanie ow ihe Uptain lied and lif U ' as nddled i. and . came !0. 11IE ad won 1 tliera H of It was inidiiiglu whfii the luiilr had Mibsidcd. Sour- seven feet ol ' water was in the Imld ol HOM lOMMK RICHARD, and she was settling last. The lashing that held the two ships together were cut and the vessels drifted apart. Br When Jones came aboard the SKR.M ' IS, li commander, handing over his sword according to ( ustoni, said, I cannot, sir, but feel mortification at the idea of surrendering my sword to a man who fought me with a rope around his neck. Jones gave him back his sword immediately saying, You have fought gallantly, sir, and I hope the King will give you a better ship. Jones described the end of his own ship: The Ensign gaff, shot away in action, had been fished and put in place soon after the firing ceased, and our flag torn and tattered, was left flying when we abandoned her. As she plunged by the head at last, her taffrail momentarily rose, so that the last vestige that mortal eye saw of the BONHOMME RICHARD was the defiant waving of her unconquered and unstruck flag as she went down. And as I had uiv.n ihnii now be{|ueatlK l so desperately dc old ship as their sepulchre, I norial dead the flag they had their winding sheet. The men of BO.MKXMME RICHARD took the SER, PIS to France as a prize jf war. The British captain, trying to explain his defeat to his own government wrote, Long before the close of the action, it became clearly apparent that the American ship was dominated by a will of the most unalterable resolution, and there could be tu) doubt that the intention of the commander was, if he could not conquer, to sink alongside. And this desperate resolve of the American captain was fully shared and fiercely seconded by every one of the ship ' s company. Such was the beginning of the United States Navy: Borrowed siiips, and crews of every possible faith and nationality, welded ultimately into the greatest sea power in the world ' s history by the most unique and persuasive ideal for which men have given their lives — the pride and self-respect of free fighting men fighting in the hope of a free life.

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For most of the crowd tlanking the ways hundreds deep, the most impressive sight, as the ship, shite grey above the water Une and mustard yellow below, hit the water, was the red, white and blue of the nation ' s colors cast in the great ' for ' ictt)ry high on hi As she broke water witii a splash that sent great waves rolling in ever growing circles, a small fleet of tugs closed in on her with whistles and sirens blaring. Then the ship dropped anchor and they sidled up, preparatory to taking her to the outfitting dock, where she will join the Bennington, another flat-top of the same class launched February 26.