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USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) |
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| Career |  |
|---|---|
| Namesake: | John Paul Jones' famous frigate |
| Ordered: | 11 December 1992 |
| Launched: | 14 March 1997 |
| Commissioned: | 15 August 1998 |
| Homeport: | Naval Base San Diego |
| Status: | Active in service as of 2008[update] |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 40,500 tons |
| Length: | 844 ft (257 m) |
| Beam: | 106 ft (32 m) |
| Draft: | 27 ft (8.2 m) navigational 28 ft (8.5 m) limit |
| Propulsion: | Steam turbines: two shafts, 70,000 shp (52 MW); Boilers: two, 600 psi (4 MPa) |
| Speed: | 20 knots (37 km/h) |
| Range: | 9500 nautical miles (18,000 km) at 18 knots (33 km/h) |
| Troops: | 1,800 |
| Complement: | Embarked ships company: 104 officers, 1004 enlisted Embarked Marine detachment: 1894 officers and enlisted |
| Armament: | 2 × NATO Sea Sparrow systems 2 × Rolling Airframe Missile systems 2 × Phalanx CIWS 4 × 25 mm Mk 38 cannons .50-cal M2HB machine guns |
| Aircraft carried: | Assault: 42 × CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters Sea Control: 5 × AV-8B Harrier attack planes 6 × ASW helicopters |
| Motto: | I have not yet begun to fight! |
| Nickname: | Revolutionary Gator, Bonnie Dick |
USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) is an Amphibious Assault Ship, and the third United States Navy ship of that name, was named in honor of John Paul Jones' famous frigate, which he had named the French language equivalent of "father or older man Richard," in honor of Benjamin Franklin, the U.S. Ambassador to France at the time. The name Bonhomme Richard is derived from the pen name of Benjamin Franklin, the author of Poor Richard's Almanac.
Bonhomme Richard ("Revolutionary Gator") is a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship currently homeported in San Diego, California. The contract to build her was awarded to Ingalls Shipbuilding on 11 December 1992, and her keel was laid down on 18 April 1995. She was launched on 14 March 1997, delivered to the Navy on 12 May 1998, and commissioned on 15 August 1998.
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The primary mission of USS Bonhomme Richard is to embark, deploy and land elements of a Marine landing force in amphibious assault operations by helicopter, landing craft and amphibious vehicle.
USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) departed its building yard, Ingalls Shipbuilding division of Litton Industries, Pascagoula, Mississippi, on 8 August, sailing into Pensacola Harbor at Naval Air Station Pensacola for commissioning activities and on Saturday, 15 August 1998.
U.S. Representative John P. Murtha, of Pennsylvania's 12th Congressional District delivered the principal commissioning address. The Secretary of the Navy, John H. Dalton, placed the new ship in commission.
Congressman Murtha's wife, Mrs. Joyce Murtha, of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, served as Ship's Sponsor for LHD-6, and christened the ship at Ingalls in May 1997. During LHD-6's commissioning, Mrs. Murtha gave the traditional order to "Man our ship and bring her to life!"
Other commissioning participants of note included Mississippi's Fifth District Representative, Congressman Gene Taylor; Admiral Donald L. Pilling, USN, Vice Chief of Naval Operations; Vice Admiral Patricia Tracey, USN, Chief of Naval Education & Training; and Jerry St. Pe', Senior Vice President of Litton Industries and President of Ingalls Shipbuilding.
Dark blue and gold are the colors traditionally used by the United States Navy. The red, white, and blue shield reflects the national colors of the USA and suggests its coat of arms. The six red stripes represent the ship's hull number as well as the six coins placed beneath the mast during mast stepping; red being the color of valor and sacrifice. The gold fleur-de-lis highlights the heritage of the first ship named Bonhomme Richard. The wreath of two green laurel branches symbolizes honor and high achievement commemorating the two previous ships carrying the name Bonhomme Richard. The eagle, overlooking the fleur-de-lis, adapted from historic flags and documents of the American Revolutionary era, symbolizes the fighting spirit, patriotic fervor, and tenacity of both John Paul Jones and the United States Navy. The eagle is flanked by six gold stars representing the battle stars earned by the second Bon Homme Richard during World War II and the Korean War underscoring the heritage and continuing resolve of the fighting Navy. The chief is blue with a wavy edge suggesting a shoreline and reflecting the amphibious mission of the Bonhomme Richard. The trident is emblematic of sea prowess and power from the sea; It has wings to commemorate the second Bon Homme Richard, an aircraft carrier and the three tines further represent the three areas of that ship's sea battle service: World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. The trident is scarlet, a color traditionally used by the United States Marine Corps, and highlights action and zeal thus underscoring the ship's assault and battle insertion mission combining the land, sea, and air elements of the fighting force. The trident, synergistically combined with the crossed U.S. Navy and Marine swords, symbolizes combat readiness and teamwork highlighting the current LHD's potent amphibious and heliborne assault capabilities in the deployment of forces ashore.
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