The Ocean Technology Foundation has been searching for John Paul Jones’ famous flagship, the Bonhomme Richard for the last five years. They now believe that they are closing in on the wreck. On this year’s expedition both the US and French Navies are joining in to help. The US Navy’s oceanographic survey ship USNS HENSON (T-AGS 63) with oceanographers from the Naval Oceanographic Office and state-of-the-art underwater survey technology will join the hunt as will a French Navy mine hunting ship.
Old Salt Blog
a virtual port of call for all those who love the sea , hosted by nautical novelist Rick Spilman
have they taken their readings from the new lighthouse and not the old chalk one?
Is this the year?
The search for the ill fated ship is nothing new, Clive Cussler has been running expeditions since 2003. As an Englishman it is amusing to note that the person heralded as the “FATHER OF THE AMERICAN NAVY”, was Scottish born and fought for France and Russia too?
It is bizarre that after all these years the wreck has remained so elusive!
The wreck is not all that has been elusive. When the US Navy decided that it needed an all purpose naval hero, it discovered that Jone’s body had been lost. It took them six years to find the grave.
I agree with your comment on the “FATHER OF THE AMERICAN NAVY.” I think that the re-creation of Jones as hero had more to do with Theodore Roosevelt’s imperialist ambitions than anything else. Roosevelt wanted a deep water navy and the elevation of Jones to near-sainthood was the way he used to sell it.