Share this article
The U.S. Navy held a decommissioning ceremony for the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) at Naval Base San Diego on Wednesday after last July’s devastating fire which left the Navy no choice but to scrap the vessel.
The Navy announced its decision to decommission and dismantle the ship back in November after an assessment concluded that the cost to restore it could be more than $3 billion and would take between five and seven years to complete. The assessment also examined rebuilding and repurposing the vessel, but determined the cost would also likely exceed $1 billion, comparatively more expensive a new-construction hospital ship, submarine tender, or command-and-control ship.
Posted: 8 months ago
The Wednesday ceremony highlighted the history of the ship, its crew, and their legacy. Bonhomme Richard was the third ship to bear the name. It was named in honor of John Paul Jones’ famous frigate, named the French equivalent for “Good man Richard.” This was in honor of Benjamin Franklin, the U.S. Ambassador to France at the time. The name Bonhomme Richard is derived from Franklin’s pen name.
Like the previous five Wasp-class ships, Bonhomme Richard was designed to embark, deploy, and land elements of a Marine landing force in amphibious assault operations by helicopter, landing craft, or amphibious vehicles.
The ceremony highlighted the history of the ship, its crew, and their legacy. Bonhomme Richard was the third ship to bear the name. It was named in honor of John Paul Jones famous frigate, named the French equivalent for Good man Richard. This was in honor of Benjamin Franklin, the U.S. Ambassador to France at the time. The name Bonhomme Richard is derived from Franklin s pen name. [The original Bonhomme Richard] Sailors gave their all to prevail against seemingly impossible odds, and they won, said Rear Adm. Philip Sobeck, commander, Expeditionary Strike Group 3. They taught us that you don t always save the ship, but you never stop fighting. The reputation of that fighting spirit began to proceed our Navy wherever we sailed and that same spirit persists today.