USS Bon Homme Richard CVA 31

Built in Brooklyn and commissioned in 1944, the USS Bon Homme Richard CVA 31 was a respected aircraft carrier that proudly served in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. During her nearly 30 years of service, the USS Bon Homme Richard was a force to be reckoned with, as she led many of the most decisive, destructive strikes in various war efforts.

Unfortunately, however, her esteemed service record isn't without its dark moments, particularly when it comes to the loss of life aboard this aircraft carrier. Along with the lives lost in combat, thousands of other lives have been cut short due to unnecessary exposure to toxic asbestos particles.

Individuals exposed to asbestos over long periods of time are at a significantly high risk of developing irreversible health problems, including mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer. Because the effects of asbestos exposure are serious, anyone who has worked on or aboard the USS Bon Homme Richard should take the time to learn more about the methods and consequences of asbestos exposure aboard aircraft carriers.

The USS Bon Homme Richard CVA 31 in WWII

After training military personnel in her first set of operations, the USS Bon Homme Richard was ready for combat and, subsequently, joined Task Force 38 in the Caroline Islands. With this Task Force, the USS Bon Homme Richard:

• Was in charge of air strikes against Okino Daito Jima
• Managed night flights and training operations for troops on mainland Japan
• Participated in raids against Hokkaido, Honshu and Shikiku.

Shortly after these bombardments, the Japanese forces were severely weakened, and their surrender was imminent. Until the official surrender, the USS Bon Homme Richard patrolled the Pacific with her fellow ships of Task Force 38.

Upon the end of WWII, the USS Bon Homme Richard, like many other active-duty ships at the time, was involved in "Operation Magic Carpet," during which she escorted troops back to the U.S.

The USS Bon Homme Richard CVA after WWII

Following WWII, the USS Bon Homme Richard was decommissioned for about five years, until the U.S. once again needed her services in combat proceeding in Korea. To this end, the USS Bon Homme Richard joined Task Force 77 in 1951. In her time with this Task Force, she:

• Aided troops in Wonsan
• Participated in crippling strikes against North Korea's vital infrastructure (including its major railroads, warehouses, bridges and barracks)
• Supported over 150 flight missions.

The end of the Korean War would again dictate a period of inactivity for the USS Bon Homme Richard, as she was decommissioned until 1964 when her services would again be needed for combat – although this time, the war effort was underway in Vietnam.

Upon reactivation and necessary modernizations, the USS Bon Homme Richard:

• Participated in strikes against Red River Valley in North Vietnam
• Bombarded a number of Vietnamese cities
• Shot down 14 interceptor planes
• Supported flight missions that, in total, demolished 750 Vietnamese trucks, 600 logistic enemy crafts and about 40 Vietnamese bridges.

In total, the USS Bon Homme Richard deployed to Vietnam six different times. She was the first aircraft carrier to be so heavily involved and extensively deployed during the Vietnam War.

With the end of the Vietnam War, the USS Bon Homme Richard would be decommissioned for the last time in 1970. Like her fleet-mates, she would subsequently be sold for scrap.

Asbestos Exposure aboard the USS Bon Homme Richard CVA 31

While her heroic service was crucial in many of the U.S.'s 20th Century conflicts, tragically, the USS Bon Homme Richard does have a negative side to her past – namely, the fact that she destroyed lives in combat and through asbestos exposure.

In fact, those who built, repaired, worked on or otherwise spent time aboard the decks of the USS Bon Homme Richard likely endured unsafe asbestos exposure, as asbestos was widely used throughout aircraft carriers of the time. From drywall and shingles to tars and cements, both civilians and military personnel were likely exposed to asbestos in nearly every part of the ship.

Since long-term asbestos exposure is known to cause deadly diseases, including many fatal cancers, it is vital that those who spent time aboard the USS Bon Homme Richard contact us for further information and resources regarding asbestos exposure on aircraft carriers.