Vtg 1960\'s Vietnam USMC USS Bon Homme Richard CVA-31 Carrier Sweatshirt SW Pants For Sale

Up for sale is a vintage 1965 - 1967 era sweatshirt and sweatpants set, along with service number luggage tag, stenciled LEMIER belt and USN whistle from the estate of USMC Lance Corporal (L/CPL) Richard A. Lemier, born in June 1946, Service # 2134155, aboard the aircraft carrier USS Bon Homme Richard (CVA-31). Both sweatshirt and sweatpants are MARDET (Marine Detatchment) issued and have \"Bonnie Dick Marines\" screen-printed on the front and there\'s a faint name written between the Bonnie Dick Marines on the front of the sweatshirt. The single v sweatshirt has chopped sleeves, field altered to a short sleeve sweat and some paint stains and a few very small holes. The sweatpants are in nice shape. Both are 100% cotton. Lemier was a PFC during the 1965 cruise and L/CPL by the 1966-1967 cruise. As a side note, it appears both the sweatshirt and sweatpants have different last names written on them in black felt tip pen so this could have been a mismatched set reissued to Lemier from the ship\'s storage or recreation department.
Sweatshirt Measurements:
1) Chest: 48\"
2) Shoulders: 22-1/2\"
3) Overall Length (Base of Collar at Back to Tip of Waist Hem): 21-3/4\"
4) Outer Sleeve (Shoulder Seam to Tip of Sleeve Cuff): 7\"
5) Inner Sleeve (Armpit to Tip of Sleeve Cuff): 6-3/4\"
Sweat Pants Measurements:
1) Waist: 30\" and can stretch to a 34\"
2) Rise: 13\"
3) Inseam: 27-1/2\"
4) Width at Cuff: 5\" and can stretch to 9\"
Shipping to run $17.95 in the USA and $65.00 to Europe or Japan.
Please note that 1965 and 1967 Cruise Book photos are shown here for history and provenance only and are not included in this sale.

• Original Construction: Built at the New York Naval Shipyard in Brooklyn, New York. Her construction began on February 1, 1943, and she entered full active service on November 26, 1944.
• The Historic Name: Her French name translates directly to \"Good Man Richard,\" chosen by John Paul Jones to honor Benjamin Franklin’s pen name.
• The Nickname: The crew shortened this to \"Bonnie Dick.\" The word \"Bonnie\" is old slang meaning beautiful or fine.
• The Modernized Platform: By 1965, the old World War II straight deck had been replaced. The ship featured an angled flight deck, heavy steam catapults, and a protected hurricane bow built to launch supersonic aircraft.

• Ship Movements: The \"Bonnie Dick\" departed California on April 21, 1965, and returned on January 13, 1966. She operated first at

• The Air Wing (CVW-19): The carrier launched daily tactical bombing runs using VA-192 and VA-195 A-4C Skyhawks. Propeller-driven A-1H Skyraiders from VA-196 flew low-altitude ground support, while VF-191 and VF-194 F-8E Crusaders defended the ship from the skies.
• PFC Lemier\'s Integration: As a young Private First Class wearing service number 2134155, Lemier was thrown straight into the rapid pace of a war zone. His daily duties integrated directly with the carrier\'s combat needs:
• Standing strict, armed guard watch outside the Captain\'s and Executive Officer\'s cabins.
• Patrolling the deep, locked storage bays to secure the ship\'s special weapons systems.
• Working internal security shifts in the ship\'s brig to maintain discipline among the crew.
• Rushing to man rapid-fire antiaircraft guns on the hull during General Quarters battle drills. [1]

• Ship Movements: The carrier spent the majority of 1966 docked at the Long Beach Naval Shipyard in California for extensive combat maintenance and engine repairs.
• Air Wing Transition: CVW-19 departed the ship, and the flight deck fell quiet as the carrier prepared for a new air wing.
• Lemire\'s Progression: During this stateside turnaround, PFC Lemier earned his promotion to Lance Corporal (L/CPL). His responsibilities grew significantly:
• Mentoring and training new, incoming PFCs arriving straight from infantry schools.
• Running secure guard checkpoints to protect the ship while hundreds of civilian contractors worked on the hull.
• Heading to training grounds like Camp Pendleton to practice rapid landing drills for emergency ground combat.

• Ship Movements: The \"Bonnie Dick\" returned to Yankee Station from January 26, 1967, to August 25, 1967, operating during the most intense aerial phases of Operation Rolling Thunder.
• The Air Wing (CVW-21): The carrier earned a Presidential Unit Citation after its pilots shot down a record 15 North Vietnamese MiG fighters. VF-211 and VF-24 F-8 Crusaders dominated air-to-air combat, while VA-212 and VA-76 dropped heavy payloads from upgraded A-4E Skyhawks.
• L/CPL Lemire\'s Integration: Now a veteran Marine leader, L/CPL Lemier (Service # 2134155) took on high-level operational duties:
• Serving as Corporal of the Guard, where he ran the guard shifts and inspected the younger PFCs on their posts.
• Directing tight ammunition security teams on the hangar deck while flight crews loaded live ordnance under extreme time pressure.
• Standing as the sharp-dressed leader of the ceremonial Honor Guard when top military leaders boarded the ship to praise the MiG-killing squadrons.
• Operating as a key squad leader for the ship’s emergency landing party, ready to lead an armed ground force ashore at a moment\'s notice. [1]

[1943–1944] Built in Brooklyn ──>Straight-deck WW2 combat carrier.

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[1965–1966] Tour 1 (Dixie/YankeeStations) ──> PFC Lemier (#2134155) guards the brig & weapon bays.

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[1966 Refit] Long Beach Shipyard──> Lemier promotes to L/CPL, runs yard checkpoints & trains recruits.

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[1967 Tour] Tour 2 (Yankee StationMiGs) ──> L/CPL Lemier runs guard shifts & leads the ceremonial HonorGuard.

Era & Ship Status

Station Location

Active Squadrons

L/CPL Lemier\'s Roles (#2134155)