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KOREA-

 In June, 1950, peace in the Pacific was threatened by Communist invasion of South Korea, and the BON HOMME RICHARD was awakened from her slumber of inactivation. On January 15, 1951, the commissioning penant once again flew crisply in the breeze as Captain Cecil B. Gill took command of the fighting lady.

Following almost five weeks of accelerated yard work, Bonnie Dick was once again ready for sea. After a short stop in Bangor, Washington, she was on her way to the Naval Air Station at Alameda, California, to commence her underwat training on March 5th. While at sea ten days later the aircraft carrier recovered her first aircraft since recommissioning, and fifteen days after that logged in the 1,oooth arrested landing.

Following six more weeks of training and post-shakedown repair, Bonnie Dick steamed for San Diego, California where she would pick up her Air Wing and head for the Western Pacific.

After crossing the International Date Line at 1539 on the twenty third of May, BON HOMME RICHARD received a message diverting her from her scheduled port of Yokosuka, Lapan, to Task Force 77. The Communist had launched a major Spring Offensive, and Bonnie Dick and her aircraft were needed to aid UN troops in the Wonsan area.

After sailing through the Van Dieman Straits and entering the East China Sea, she joined the Task Force near the 38th parallel where the Chinese Communists and UN forces were locked in hand-to-hand combat. After replenishing, BON HOMME RICHARD made preperations for launching her first aircraft of the Korean Conflict.

For the first seventeen days on the line, planes of BON HOMME RICHARD ranged over North Korea hitting railroads, rail bridges, highway bridges, truck convoys, trench and mortar positions, as well as warehouses and troop barracks. The ship's planes reached their peak of performance in this initial part of her Far East duty on June 6th when her Air Wing flew 149 offensive and 11 defensive sorties from her decks.