USS Bonhomme Richard (1765)
| History | |
|---|---|
| United States | |
| Name | Bonhomme Richard |
| Namesake | Benjamin Franklin |
| Builder | French Indies Company |
| Laid down | 1765 |
| Launched | 1766 |
| Acquired | 4 February 1779 |
| In service | 4 February 1779 |
| Out of service | 25 September 1779 |
| Fate | Sunk by HMS Serapis |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage | 998 |
| Length | 152 ft (46 m) |
| Beam | 40 ft (12 m) |
| Draft | 19 ft (5.8 m) |
| Propulsion | Sail |
| Complement | 380 officers and enlisted |
| Armament |
|
USS Bonhomme Richard was a 42-gun frigate of the Continental Navy named for Founding Father Benjamin Franklin. She was originally the East Indiaman Duc de Duras, which was built in France for the French Indies Company in 1765. The ship was purchased by French authorities and placed at the disposal of American Captain John Paul Jones on 4 February 1779 by King Louis XV as a result of a loan to the United States by French shipping magnate Jacques-Donatien Le Ray.