Bon Homme Richard (CVA 31) - Naval Cruise Book

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H After CV-31 was launched on November 26, 1944, she was a long way from being ready to lake her place with the combat fleet. When she left the shipyards and was moored at the outfitting dock, she still needed all her electronic equipment, gtm mounts, and luxury items. She had a length of 872 feet, and her extreme width at or about the flight deck (including all projections) was 147 feet, 6 inches. Her extreme beam, at or below the waterline, was 93 feet; and she had a designed speed of 33 knots. Her original armament was twelve 5-inch .38 caliber guns in four single mounts and four twin moiuits and seventeen quadruple 40-mm antiaircraft mounts. Her designed complement was 360 officers and 3,088 men. After outfitting, she embarked Carrier Air Group 16 and conducted training exercises in the Chesapeake Bay. After training she proceeded to her primary mission, combat with the enemy, by way of the Panama Canal. San Diego and Pearl Harbor. On June 4, 1945, BOX HOMMe ' RICHARD rendezvoused with Fast Carrier Force 38 off the Caroline Islands, and her wartime career began.

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BON HOMME RICHARO (CV-Sl) ■- -; ' U% - O oe. J44Ai Le4 44At ta j lc At John Paul Jones KeeD this booklet with vou while aboard