U.S.S. Bon Homme Richard CVA -31
USS Bon Homme Richard (CV-31, later CVA-31), 1944-1992
USS Bon Homme Richard, a 27,100-ton Essex class aircraft carrier, was built at the New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn,
New York. Commissioned in November 1944, she went to the Pacific in March 1945 and in June joined the fast carriers in
the combat zone and took part in the final raids on Japan. With the end of hostilities in mid-August, Bon Homme Richard
continued operations off Japan until September, when she returned to the United States. "Magic Carpet" personnel transportation service occupied her into
1946. She was thereafter generally inactive until decommissioning at Seattle, Washington, in January 1947.
The outbreak of the Korean War in late June 1950 called Bon Homme Richard back to active duty. She recommissioned in January 1951 and deployed to the
Western Pacific that May, launching her planes against enemy targets in Korea until the deployment ended late in the year. A second combat tour followed in
May-December 1952, during which she was redesignated CVA-31. The carrier decommissioned in May 1953 to undergo a major conversion to equip her to
operate high-performance jet aircraft.
Bon Homme Richard emerged from the shipyard with an angled and strengthened flight deck, enclosed "hurricane" bow, steam catapults, a new island, wider
beam and many other improvements. Recommissioned in September 1955, she began the first of a long series of Seventh Fleet deployments. Additional
Western Pacific cruises followed in 1957, 1958-1959, 1959-60, 1961, 1962-63, and 1964, with the last including a voyage into the Indian Ocean.
The Vietnam war escalation in early 1965 brought Bon Homme Richard into a third armed conflict, and she deployed on five Southeast Asia combat tours
over the next six years. Her aircraft battled North Vietnamese MiGs on many occasions, downing several, as well as striking transportation and infrastructure
targets. Occasional excursions to other Asian areas provided some variety to her operations. Bon Homme Richard was ordered inactivated at the end of her
1970 deployment. She decommissioned in July 1971, becoming part of the Reserve Fleet at Bremerton, Washington. Following two decades in "mothballs" she
was sold for scrapping in March 1992.
Bon Homme Richard received one battle star for her World War II service and five battle stars for participation in the Korean conflict.
28 January 1964 - 21 November 1964 - CVW -19
VF-191( F-8E ) VF-194 (F-8C) VA-192 (A-4C) VA-195 (A-4C )
VA-196( A-lJ & A-lH ) VAH-4 Det E (A-3B ) VAW-ll Det E (E-lB )
VFP-63 Det E( RF-8A ) HU-l Dl Unit E( UH-2A) *VQ-l Det( EA-3B)
*VAP-61 Det( RA-3B)
21 April 1965 - 13 January 1966 - CVW -19
VF-191( F-8E) VF-194( F-8E) VA-192( A-4C ) VA-195 (A-4C )
VA-196( A-lH & A-lJ) VFP-63 Det E( RF-8A ) VAW-ll Det E (E-lB )
HU-l Dl Unit E (UH-2A & UH-2B) (redesignated HC-l Dl Unit E on 1 Jul 1965)
VQ-l Det( EA-3B ) VAW-13 Det( EA-lF)
26 January 1967 - 25 August 1967 - CVW -21
VF-211( F-8E) VF-24( F-8C ) VA-212( A-4E) VA-76( A-4C) VA-215 (A-lH)
VAH-4 Det 31 (A-3B ) #VAW-ll Det L (E-lB ) VFP-63 Det 31( RF-8G )
HC-l Dl Unit L( UH-2B & UH-2A) VAW-13 Det 31 (EA-lF)
27 January 1968 - 10 October 1968 - CVW -5
VF-51( F-8H) VF-53( F-8E) VA-93 (A-4F ) VA-94( A-4E) VA-212 (A-4F)
VFP-63 Det 31( RF-8G ) VAW-13 Det 31 (EKA-3B) VAW-lll Det 31( E-lB)
HC-l Det 31 (UH-2C)
18 March 1969 - 29 October 1969 - CVW -5
VF-51( F-8J) VF-53( F-8J ) VA-22 (A-4F) VA-94( A-4E) VA-144 (A-4E)
VFP-63 Det 31 (RF-8G) VAQ-130 Det 31 (EKA-3B ) VAW-111 Det 31( E-1B )
HC-1 Det 31( UH-2C) HC-7 Det 110( SH-3A)
2 April 1970 - 12 November 1970 - CVW -5
VF-51( F-8J) VF-53 (F-8J ) VA-22 (A-4F) VA-94 (A-4E) VA-144 (A-4F)
VFP-63 Det 31( RF-8G) VAQ-130 Det 31 (EKA-3B) VAW-lll Det 14( E-lB )
HC-l Det 3 (UH-2C)