IN MEMORIAM:

AHLERS, PAUL- PH1- OP DIVISION- 1967-1968

AKER, EDWARD- V-1 DIVISION- 1952-1953

AMER, RICHARD- RD2- OI DIVISION- 1962-1965

AVRETT, ROY- EB DIVISION- 1964-1967

BALLANTINE, JAMES D.- ADI- VA923- 1951-1952

BEAUMONT, ROBERT T. "BEAU"- LTJG- VF(N)-91- 1945

BENTLY, OTHO JR.- AK1- VA-22 DIVISION- 1969

BLOMBERG, CARL ELLIS- SC2- 1944-1946

BRADLEY, EMMITT E.- RD3- OI DIVISION- 1961-1967

BROWN, RAYMOND EUGENE - CS3- 1967-1968

BURMEISTER, EDWARD V. JR.- STOREKEEPER 2ND CLASS- PLANK OWNER- 1944-1946

BUTLER, JAMES PALMER- LTJG- VF-24- 1956

CANNON, DWIGHT- MU2- N DIVISION- SHIPS BAND- 1951-1952

CAVEY, HARRISON, L. SR.- PLANK OWNER- 1944-1946

CHAUNCEY, ARVIN R.- LCDR- VA-212 DIVISION- 1967

CIMINO, ANGELO JR.- 1967-1970

COOK, JAMES MONROE- AVIATION CHIEF MACHINIST'S MATE- 1944-1946

CUNNINGHAM, LAWRANCE J.- PLANK OWNER- 1944

DALUISIO, THOMAS J.- WWII

DAVIS, JAMES D.- WT 3/C- PLANK OWNER- 1944 - 1947

DEKAYE, MICHAEL J.- ABE 3- V-2- 1970-1971

DeWACHTER, GEORGE- S1- K2 DIVISION- 1944-1946

DICKENS, ALBERT J.- BOILER ROOM OPERATOR

EDGBERT, CHARLES WAYNE

EISERT, WILLIAM FRANCIS- RADARMAN 3RD CLASS- V-6- 1944-1945

ENGLAND, DONALD- F DIVISION- 1951-1952

EVANS, BOB- ABE3- V2 DIVISION- 1964-1967

FOWLER, SAMUEL- S DIVISION- 1944-1946

FULLER, ROBERT B.- CDR- VA-76 DIVISION- 1967

FUNK, OWEN VERNON- AMMI 3/C- 1945-1946

FUNKHOUSER, HARLIN- MACHINIST MATE- EARLY 60'S

GILLASPIE, RONALD- ABE-3- V-2 DIVISION- 1966-1970

GILMORE, CHARLES- E DIVISION- 1951-1953

GLOSPIE, GEORGE- EB DIVISION

GRANT, EDWARD LISLE- AD3- VF-211- 1955-1959

GREEN, SQUIRE- STM-1- PLANK OWNER

GROLL, RICHARD (DICK)- RM2- OR DIVISION- 1955-1956

GUY, D.L.- V-1 DIVISION- 1944-1945

HAINES, COLLINS H.- LCDR- VFP-63 DIVISION- 1967

HALL, BERTRUM JEROME (JERRY)- TASK FORCE 77- 1951-1952

HALL, JOHN W.- ATR2- VF194- 1963-1966

HALL, THOMAS P.- LTJG- VF-211- 1967

HAMMERS, JACK- V-1-0 DIVISION- 1944-1946

HAND, RONALD BERNARD- MM3- 1957-1960

HARDMAN, H. (HERB)- LT- EE DIVISION- 1967-1970

HEIKKILA, ERNIE- V-1 DIVISION- 1962-1966

HOLBROOKS, JAMES E.- S2C- 1944-1946

HUDSON, CECIL- D-Division- ABOARD KOREAN WAR

HUGHES, JACK- ABE1- V-2 DIVISION- 1964-1967

IRISH, GORDEN EUGENE- METALSMITH FIRST CLASS- PLANK OWNER- 1944-1945

JAROSIK, MARION (ABE)- MM2- WWII

JAWORSKI, EDMUND- CO OF THE MARINE DETACHMENT- 1951-1953

JONES, RICHARD J.- COMMISSIONING CREWMEMBER- 1944-1945

JOSS, HERBERT- S1- K2 DIVISION- 1944-1946

KAUFMAN, SAMUEL- PLANK OWNER

KERLICK, AL

KESGEN, EDWARD- LTJG- VA-94- 1968-1969

KINDRED, LEONARD P. JR. (LEN)- FT3- 1957-1960

KIRKLIGHTER, JAMES- CAPT.

LEBLANC, JOSEPH- LTJG- 1967-1970

LEDFORD, HORACE BENJAMIN- GM3- WW DIVISION- 1950-1954

LONG, ROBERT MELVIN- SN3- WWII

LUKOWSKI, MATTHEW MICHAEL (MICKEY)- MM3- SV6- 1944-1946

MAGEE, THOMAS H.- MARINE- SERVED ABOARD WWII

MAJETTE, JOSEPH- 1944

MAPLES, FRANK- V-3-FR DIVISION- 1945

MARROW, CECIL- S1- K2 DIVISION- 1944-1946

MASCARENAS, TRANSITO (SAM)- IC2- EE DIVISION-1968-1973

MATHEWS, MICHAEL- S1- K2 DIVISION- 1944-1946

MATHIS, ROBERT FRED

MAY, WILLIAM R. "BILL"- YEOMAN THIRD CLASS- 1944-1946

MEEK, RON- RM2- CR DIVISION- 1965-1968

MERCURE, RAY- S1- K2 DIVISION- 1944-1946

METZER, WILLIAM- LTJG- VF-24 DIVISION- 1967

MITCHEL, C.K. (MITCH)- CDR- EE DIVISION- 1967-1969

MOREINE, CLINT (RED)- WWII- PLANK OWNER

MORRIS, DAVID LEE- FA- EA DIVISION- 1970

MORRISON, GEORGE "STEVE"- REAR ADMIRAL- COMMANDING OFFICER- 1963

MURPHY, GEORGE A.- CDR.- CIC- 1969-1970

NEWLAND, RICK, ABF3- V4 DIVISION- 1967-1970

O'BRIEN, JOHN GORDON JR.(JACK / JAY)-S1- 1944-1946

OLIGER, LELAND G.- BMG3- 1951-1952

OLSZANECKI, JOHN L.-AZ3- ATTACK SQUADRON 195- 1965-1966

OVERTON, CHARLIE D.- RM3- 1957-1961

PARTAIN, JAMES LAWRENCE- AB2- 1955-1956

PETERSON, ARMOND I.- USNR- V-6 DIVISION- 1943-1945

PFLEGER, ROBERT (BOB)- ARM2- VT(N)91- 1944-1945

PORTER, RONALD- RD3- OI DIVISION- 1961-1964

PRICE, ALLEN "ABE" BYRON- LT. CMDR.- KIA- 6/19/1961

RAKAS, MICHAEL- OA DIVISION- 1951-1953

RICHTMYER, JAMES HENRY- WWII- KOREAN WAR

RIVETT, BILL J.- MM3- EA DIVISION- 1963-1966

ROETTERING, MARVIN- DC3- ER DIVISION- 1957-1961

ROOT, BERYL F.- CPO- 1958-1962

RUDE, KENNETH- 2ND DIVISION- 1944-1945

RUSSELL, KAY- LCDR- VF-211 DIVISION- 1967

RYBASKI, DAN- V-1 DIVISION- 1950-1951

SCHNEIDER- ROBERT- ENSIGN- VF(N)-91- 1945

SEVEY, CHARLES- IC2- EE DIVISION- 1957-1959

SGRO, RALPH- ABE3- V2 DIVISION- 1967-1970

SICOLA, TONY- THIRD CLASS- SHIPS COOK-1944-1946

SMITH, DONALD- SM3- K2 DIVISION- 1944-1946

SMITH, ERIC LINTON- SIGNALMAN- VIETNAM ERA TO DECOMMISSHING

SMITH, WAYNE EDWARD- AE2- 1958-1959

SMITH, WILLIAM- X DIVISION OFFICER- 1964-1966

SPANG, JON- MM3- 1967-1968

SPICER, JAMES R.- RM/SN- CR DIVISION- 1967-1969

STACEY, WILLIAM B.- RD2- OI DIVISION- 1962-1965

STAFFORD, DANIEL H.- MM3- SV-6 DIVISION- 1944-1946

STEWART, GARY LEE- IC2- EE DIVISION- 1968-1971

STILES, JAMES J.- SM2- K2 DIVISION- 1944-1946

STONE, HENRY (STONEY)- FLAGMAN- 1943-1947

SULIGOWSKI, LEONARD J.- AD2- CAG-102/VC-11- 1951

THOMPSON, BOBBY JOE- DM3- 1951-1953

THOMPSON, RALPH- ABAN- V-2 DIVISION- 1966-1967

THOMPSON, RONALD D.- ABHAA- V-1 DIVISION- 1967

TOMS, DENNIS- AA- ATTACK SQUADRON 192- 1965

TRITT, JAMES F.- MM2- EB DIVISION- 1967

WAGGONER, ARTHUR DALE- DC1- 1951-1953

WELDON, JOHN A.- SMC- WWII

WHITNEY, ROBERT J.- BT-1- EB DIVISION- 1958-1960

WILTGEN, DONALD G. (BLACK SHOE ONE)- LT- OI DIVISION-1968-70

USS BON HOMME RICHARD CV-31/CVA-31

SHIPMATES LOST DURING WAR. (This list was sent to us by Jed Levine...Thanks)

WORLD WAR II

Night Fighter Squadron 91

ENS Henry A. Sohrweid

KOREAN WAR

Ships Company

AA Everett R. Willhoite

Air Group Squadrons

VF-74: ENS Donald E. Adams

VF-781: AD1 James E. Hodgson, Jr.

VF-874: LT Leonard A. Gundert

LTJG William H. Mero

VA-923: LT Orville M. Cook

LT James A. Savage

VC-33: LT Edward P. Cummings

AT1 Marck L. Tooker, Jr.

VIETNAM WAR

Ships Company

FN Alan S. Anderson

TN Leoncio A. Bautista, Jr.

BTC Frank L. Luc

MM2 James E. Tritt

Air Wing Squadrons

VF-24: LTJG Dean Smith, Jr.

LCDR Edwin B. Tucker

LCDR Rex. S. Wood

VF-53: LTJG Lloyd G. Howie

CDR Dean E. Kaiser

VF-191: LTJG Edward D. Brown, Jr.

LTJG Gerald Green

VF-192: LTJG Neil B. Taylor

VF-194: LTJG Geoffrey H. Osborn

VF-76: CAPT Kenneth R. Cameron

LCDR Charles D. Stackhouse

VA-93: CAPT Frank E. Fullerton

LTJG Barry E. Karger

CDR Robert R. Wilson

VA-144: LT William E. Mickelsen, Jr.

LT Leland C.C. Sage

VA-196 LCDR James J. Kearns

LCDR Carl J. Woods

VA-212: CAPT Homer L. Smith

CDR Frederick H. Whittemore

VA-215: CDR Paul R. Charvet

ENS Richard C. Graves

VFP-63: LCDR Frederick P. Crosby

LT Edwin F. Miller

VAW-11: AMS3 Larry A. Lindell

HC-1: LT Howard G. Hammons, Jr.

LT Litchfield P. Huie

LTJG Edward N. Letchworth

ADJ3 Arthur D. Petersen

AN Bernard J. Sause, Jr.

LCDR Edwin M. Stewart, Jr.

PRAN Ronald L. Zempel

DONATED WITH PRIDE BY LOYAL SHIPMATES IN "BONNIE DICK"...

Taps-

It all began in 1862 during the Civil War, when Union Army Captain Robert

Ellicombe was with his men near Harrison's Landing in Virginia. The

Confederate Army was on the other side of the narrow strip of land. During

the night, Captain Ellicombe heard the moan of a soldier who lay mortally

wounded on the field. Not knowing if it was a Union or Confederate soldier,

the captain decided to risk his life and bring the stricken man back for

medical attention. Crawling on his stomach through the gunfire, the captain

reached the stricken soldier and began pulling him toward his encampment.

When the captain finally reached his own lines, he discovered it was

actually a Confederate soldier, but the soldier was dead. The captain lit a

lantern. Suddenly, he caught his breath and went numb with shock. In the

dim light, he saw the face of the soldier. It was his son. The boy had

been studying music in the South when the war broke out. Without telling

his father, he enlisted in the Confederate Army.

The following morning, heartbroken, the father asked permission of his

superiors to give his son a full military burial despite his enemy status.

His request was partially granted. The captain had asked if he could have a

group of Army band members play a funeral dirge for the son at the funeral.

That request was turned down since the soldier was a Confederate. Out of

respect for the father, they did say they could give him only one musician.

The captain chose a bugler. He asked the bugler to play a series of musical

notes he had found on a piece of paper in the pocket of his dead son's

uniform. This wish was granted. This music was the haunting melody we now

know as "Taps" that is used at all military funerals.

In case you are interested, these are the words to "TAPS":

Day is Done

Gone the sun

From the lakes

From the hills

From the sky

all is well

Safely rest

God is nigh

Fading Light

Dims the sight

And a star

Gems the sky

Gleaning bright

From afar

Drawing nigh

Falls the night

Thanks and Praise

For our days

Neath the sun

Neath the stars

Neath the sky

As we go

This we know

God is nigh