PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii -- The amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) arrived in Pearl Harbor, April 27, marking the ship's first port visit since it entered U.S. 3rd Fleet.
Bonhomme Richard is stopping at Pearl Harbor as part of the ship's transit from Sasebo, Japan, to San Diego, where the ship will be permanently homeported.
"Our visit to Hawaii marks a new chapter in Bonhomme Richard's history, and we are proud to be back on American soil after a successful FDNF tour of duty," said Capt. Larry McCullen, Bonhomme Richard's commanding officer. "There is so much important naval history to take in at Pearl Harbor, and the island is a beautiful place to visit. It will be good for the crew to experience both during our time in port."
Airman Dane Sandt, a Bonhomme Richard crew member from Branson, Missouri, was born in Hawaii and said he is excited about being able to return as a Sailor.
"I'm looking forward to manning the rails and rendering honors as we pull in to Pearl Harbor," said Sandt. "I was born in Hawaii and left shortly after, so I'm eager to return. I plan on getting an authentic Hawaiian breakfast and doing some surfing during our off-duty time."
Forward-deployed to Japan since 2012, Bonhomme Richard has called Sasebo home for six years, serving as the flagship of Expeditionary Strike Group 7, providing a rapid-response capability for the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. The ship is transiting to San Diego where it will conduct operations in 3rd Fleet prior to entering an extended maintenance availability, including upgrades and modernization to operate the F-35B Lightning II fighter aircraft.