USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6)

History
Bonhomme Richard under way in January 2003.
United States
Name:	USS Bonhomme Richard
Namesake:	Bonhomme Richard
Ordered:	11 December 1992
Builder:	Ingalls Shipbuilding
Laid down:	18 April 1995
Launched:	14 March 1997
Commissioned:	15 August 1998
Homeport:	Sasebo, Japan
Motto:	I have not yet begun to fight!
Nickname(s):	Revolutionary Gator, Bonnie Dick, BHR, Rusty Roku
Status:	in active service
Badge:
General characteristics
Class and type:	Wasp-class amphibious assault ship
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) 2 x 600 psi (4.1 MPa) boilers
Speed:	20 knots (37 km/h)
Range:	9,500 nautical miles (17,600 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 3 × 25 mm Mk 38 cannons 4 × .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

USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) is a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship, and the third United States Navy ship of that name. It was named in honor of John Paul Jones' famous frigate, which he had named the French equivalent of "Good 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.

The ship is currently in active service and is the flagship for Expeditionary Strike Group Seven.

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.

Bonhomme Richard departed its building yard, Ingalls Shipbuilding division of Litton Industries, Pascagoula, Mississippi, on 8 August 1998, sailing into Pensacola Harbor at Naval Air Station Pensacola for commissioning activities and culminating with the main ceremony, which was held on 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!"

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Wikipedia