USS Bonhomme Richard Chases Pirates Away from Fishermen (Navy goes after the Jolly Roger Again!)

Navy NewsStand ^ | 02/22/05

[Spktyr]

I might add to that: "The ship (and its commander) helped establish the United States Navy as something that the British didn't want to mess with."


On a similar note:
If memory serves, our first test as a real nation (post-Constitution) usin our "fledgling" navy to clean out the Barbary Coast pirates in 1803 (something no other Navy or country had done for over 400 years) after they started making irrational demads for danegeld. We cleaned them out - and established the US Navy as something that *nobody* wanted to mess with. I don't think we've looked back since. Same general part of the world, too - looks like some people remember what the US Navy has *always* liked to do with pirates...

[rface]

I sent a couple of boxes of paperback novel to the USS Bonhomme Richard 2 years ago - one of the men aboard her is a FREEPER - since he contacted me via. Freep mail - I'll have to look at the old stuff and check out who it was.....

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Maybe when we get to Admiral Oliver Hazard Perry CCVI.

Now that's a dynasty. Not three Superbowls in four years. A dynasty is a period so long that the Pole Star changes. Is Mizar not the Pole Star? 'Cause if it is, I didn't get the memo.

[hollywood]

Ahoy, again.

[SandRat]

Yet even back then it was the Diplomats that screwed a success up to be a failure and betrayed the Marines.

[freedumb2003]

Is that it? Wow!! If I was a pirate it would scare the bejesus out of me!!

[DUMBGRUNT]

Was lashing the two ships together a common tactic?

[Ramius]

"Piracy" is becoming the new thing for terrorists.

I would submit that in many ways terrorism is the modern incarnation of piracy. The fight against the Barbary Pirates has many parallels to the fight today against terrorism.

Back then, we went to the countries that sponsored pirates, and took them out. "Shores of Tripoli" and all that. So it seems that we have, after all, done this before. :-)

[Spktyr]

if you were going to board the vessel to take it, yes.

[mad_as_he$$]

Why didn't they lauch Cobra's and finish the pirates off? FWIW some sailors who serve(d) on her call her "Bonny Dick".

[SandRat]

If memory serves me correct she was Commissioned August 15, 1998, the Revolutionary Gator is the sixth ship in the WASP class.

And from her official web site:

BACKGROUND
BONHOMME RICHARD was uniquely designed to support assault from the sea against defended positions ashore. She is able to sail in harm's way and provide a rapid buildup of combat power ashore in the face of opposition.

The United States maintains the largest and most capable amphibious force in the world. The Wasp-class are the largest amphibious ships in the world.

CHARACTERISTICS
Ship Builder: Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Miss.
Power Plant: Two boilers, two geared steam turbines, two shafts, 70,000 shaft horsepower
Length: 844 feet (253.2 meters)
Beam: 106 feet (31.8 meters)
Displacement: Approx. 40,500 tons (41,150 metric tons) full load
Speed: 20+ knots (23.5+ miles per hour)

Aircraft
Assault: 42 CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters
Sea Control: 5 AV-8B Harrier attack planes. Six ASW helicopters

Crew
Ships Company:
104 officers, 1,004 enlisted
Marine Detachment: 1,894

Armament
Two RAM launchers; two NATO Sea Sparrow launchers; two 20mm Phalanx CIWS mounts; four .50 cal. machine guns; three 25 mm Mk 38 machine guns.

SISTER SHIPS
USS Wasp (LHD 1), Norfolk, Va.
USS Essex (LHD 2), Sasebo, Japan
USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), Norfolk, Va.
USS Boxer (LHD 4), San Diego, Calif.
USS Bataan (LHD 5), Norfolk, Va.
USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6), San Diego, Calif.
USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7), Norfolk, Va.

[mad_as_he$$]

Probably no Apaches on board her at this time. More likely Super Cobras. Still a 9.9 on the pucker factor.

[InShanghai]

Been at sea all me bloomin' life.
Me mother was a mermaid; me natural father was King Neptune.
I was born on the crest of a wave, and rocked in the cradle of the deep.
Seaweed and barnacles be me clothes.
Every tooth in me head is a marling spike;
the hair on me head is Eye-talian hemp.
Every bone in me body is a spar, and when I spit, I spits Stockholm tar.
I'm hard, I is, I am, I are!

Pirates!

[Spktyr]

At least tell us that you know what John Paul Jone's name was before he changed it, and why he made the change. Extra credit if you can say where and how he died.

And where he's buried now (the most appropriate place, IMHO.).

[muir_redwoods]

Capt. Jones commands the Bonhomme Richard? Wow, somebody has a sense of history.

[Howlin]

I heard a report on this just today; I can't remember where though; talking about targeting ships with chemicals, etc.

[SandRat]

Who knows what was going through the CAGs or the Skippers minds at the time.

[Strategerist]

Eh, a little less common than people think. A lot fewer ships were taken by boarding (which involves grappling a ship and holding it adjacent) in combat than the movies would have you believe. Almost all naval battles were won and lost by the fire of the big guns, not by boarding, and ships were captured by them striking their flag due to gunfire damage. It was EXTREMELY rare to see boarding among "Ships of the Line"( the large Battleships).....somewhat more common, but still pretty rare, when ships of frigate size fought each other .

[ArmstedFragg]

tell us that you know what John Paul Jone's name was before he changed it

Who'd want to go through life with a name like Reggy Dwight?

Oh, no, wait, that was...