USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6)

USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6)
Official U.S. Navy Page from United States of America MC2 Sarah Villegas/U.S. N · Public domain · source
Ship name	USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6)
Ship country	United States
Ship namesake	Bonhomme Richard
Ship builder	Ingalls Shipbuilding
Ship laid down	24 January 1995
Ship launched	16 November 1996
Ship commissioned	15 November 1998
Ship decommissioned	12 April 2021
Ship stricken	17 September 2021
Ship displacement	41,150 long tons (full)
Ship length	844 ft (257 m)
Ship beam	106 ft (32 m)
Ship propulsion	LM2500 gas turbines
Ship speed	22+ knots
Ship capacity	1,800 troops
Ship aircraft	AV-8B Harrier II, MV-22 Osprey, CH-53E Sea Stallion
Ship crew	1,102 (ship's company)

USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) was a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship of the United States Navy named after the frigate Bonhomme Richard commanded by John Paul Jones during the American Revolutionary War. Commissioned in 1998 and built by Ingalls Shipbuilding at Pascagoula, Mississippi, the ship served with United States Pacific Fleet and participated in operations alongside units from Marine Corps Special Operations Command, Carrier Strike Group Five, and multinational partners before suffering a catastrophic fire in 2020 that led to salvage, decommissioning, and eventual disposal.

Design and specifications

Designed as a multipurpose platform for expeditionary warfare, Bonhomme Richard embodied features of the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship lineage and integrated capabilities from programs influenced by concepts developed for Harrier II operations and Amphibious Ready Group doctrine. The ship's full-load displacement and well deck accommodated Landing Craft Air Cushion and Landing Craft Utility operations while supporting embarked units from 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, and Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 262 equipped with MV-22 Osprey aircraft. Aviation facilities supported operations of AV-8B Harrier II, CH-53E Super Stallion, and AH-1Z Viper helicopters, with a flight deck and island derived from design elements tested alongside USS Wasp (LHD-1) and USS Essex (LHD-2). Propulsion combined General Electric LM2500 gas turbines with controllable-pitch propellers and a bow thruster used in conjunction with navigation systems linked to Global Positioning System references and underway replenishment procedures common to Military Sealift Command logistics. Defensive and command suites integrated equipment compatible with Aegis Combat System-era communication nodes, interoperable with task forces including Task Force 76 and United States Seventh Fleet.

Construction and commissioning

Bonhomme Richard was laid down at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi on 24 January 1995, launched on 16 November 1996, and sponsored at commissioning by a ceremony attended by officials from Department of the Navy and veterans associated with the original Bonhomme Richard and John Paul Jones Museum. Construction milestones referenced practices refined after earlier builds such as USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) and USS America (LHA-6) programs, incorporating automated modular outfitting techniques promoted by Naval Sea Systems Command and industrial partners including Huntington Ingalls Industries. Commissioned on 15 November 1998, the ship joined Amphibious Squadron 1 and completed initial training with United States Third Fleet and Commander, Naval Surface Forces Pacific units, conducting certification exercises with Fleet Marine Force Pacific and participating in Composite Training Unit Exercise-style evolutions.

Operational history

During peacetime deployments, Bonhomme Richard executed operations linked to Operation Southern Watch-era maritime presence, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom support tasks, embarking elements of 1st Battalion, 1st Marines and 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines for amphibious exercises. The ship operated in concert with USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76), USS Nimitz (CVN-68), and allied platforms such as HMAS Canberra (L02) and JS Izumo during multinational exercises including RIMPAC and Talisman Sabre, and hosted detachments from United Kingdom Royal Marines and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions saw coordination with United States Agency for International Development and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies partners following regional crises in the Philippines and Indonesia, using embarked helicopters and landing craft to deliver supplies alongside Hospital Ship USNS Mercy (T-AH-19)-style support. The ship underwent periodic overhauls at Naval Station San Diego and maintenance availabilities under Puget Sound Naval Shipyard procedures while integrating upgrades to communications and aviation maintenance spaces consistent with directives from Chief of Naval Operations.

2020 fire and salvage

On 12 July 2020, a major fire broke out aboard the ship while it was pierside at Naval Base San Diego, leading to extensive firefighting response from San Diego Fire-Rescue Department, United States Coast Guard, Pacific Fleet units, and civilian contractors. The conflagration spanned multiple days and involved coordinated efforts by specialized teams from Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 1, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and salvage experts from Military Sealift Command-affiliated firms, prompting investigations by Navy Office of the Inspector General and Naval Safety Center. Damage assessments documented severe structural compromise to berthing, machinery spaces, and the flight deck, with investigations examining potential links to maintenance activities, stowage practices, and procedural lapses noted in Board of Inquiry-style reports; parallel inquiries considered standards promulgated by Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Navy firefighting doctrine codified by NAVSEA. Salvage operations required heavy-lift, dewatering, and cutting procedures supervised by Supervisor of Salvage and Diving teams, and culminated in plans coordinated with Environmental Protection Agency and local authorities to mitigate environmental hazards from fuel, oils, and hazardous materials.

Decommissioning and disposal

Following assessments, the Secretary of the Navy announced the decision to decommission the vessel; Bonhomme Richard was decommissioned on 12 April 2021 and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 17 September 2021. The Navy coordinated disposition under policies aligned with Defense Environmental Restoration Program considerations and contracts awarded under acquisition statutes overseen by Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment and Naval Sea Systems Command. Ultimately, the hulk was sold for recycling under a contract with private dismantlers operating in accordance with International Maritime Organization conventions and U.S. domestic environmental regulations enforced by the Environmental Protection Agency and California Department of Toxic Substances Control, concluding the material disposition process that involved hazardous waste remediation and steel reclamation consistent with ship recycling practices used for prior dispositions such as USS Enterprise (CVN-65).

Category:Wasp-class amphibious assault ships Category:Ships built in Pascagoula, Mississippi