Five ships of the United States Navy have borne the name ''Bonhomme Richard'' or ''Bon Homme Richard'' (), the French language equivalent of " Goodman Richard". The name is in reference to American Founding Father Benjamin Franklin. Franklin was responsible for writing '' Poor Richard's Almanack'', for which the ships have been named, after the French title of the publication. * , formerly ''Duc de Duras'', was a

frigate A frigate () is a type of warship. In different eras, the roles and capabilities of ships classified as frigates have varied somewhat. The name frigate in the 17th to early 18th centuries was given to any full-rigged ship built for speed and ...

built in France and placed at the disposal of John Paul Jones in 1779. * A ''Bon Homme Richard'' was to have been a ''Wampanoag''-class

cruiser A cruiser is a type of warship. Modern cruisers are generally the largest ships in a fleet after aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships, and can usually perform several roles. The term "cruiser", which has been in use for several hu ...

built at the Washington Navy Yard. Construction was canceled in 1864. * , was an

aircraft carrier An aircraft carrier is a warship that serves as a seagoing airbase, equipped with a full-length flight deck and facilities for carrying, arming, deploying, and recovering aircraft. Typically, it is the capital ship of a fleet, as it allows a ...

renamed ''Yorktown'' in 1943 prior to launch. * , was an that saw action at the end of World War II, throughout the Korean War, and through the Vietnam War. * , was a that was severely damaged by fire in July 2020, and decommissioned in April 2021.

See also