https://news.usni.org/2020/07/12/breaking-sailors-injured-explosions-reported-in-uss-bonhomme-richard-fire
https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/crews-battle-3-alarm-blaze-on-military-assault-ship/2363877/
Fires are still burning.
https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2020/07/14/navy-reports-progress-fighting-fire-aboard-bonhomme-richard/
Here's a good post on it on CDR Salamander's blog. I agree with him, the vessel is a complete loss. The investigation's report will be interesting reading.
https://cdrsalamander.blogspot.com/
He is right about the Navys overconfidence in their firefighting abilities. Coming from an oil drilling family I have several examples of how differently the off shore oil platform damage control parties operate than the navy. Its not an apples to apples comparison but overconfidence from the navy when they sent observers to watch oil drills was a common complaint. The oil platforms have dealt with pretty massive fires and damage and many more that were prevented or mitigated by heroic efforts. They have actual more hands on experience than the navy right now and better procedures and equipment.
Con
A horribly expensive loss.
Navy says fire is out.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/navy-fire-out-aboard-uss-bonhomme-richard-san-diego
Link below has some images of USS BHR after the fire.
https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2020/07/17/heres-what-the-damage-inside-the-bonhomme-richard-looks-like/
Very sad. Hopefully she will sail again someday.
Guess it will take a while to determine how this happened.
The Navy has decided there was too much damage and it would be too costly to repair, so will decommission her. :(
https://news.usni.org/2020/11/30/navy-will-scrap-uss-bonhomme-richard
Also, it sounds like the investigations into how the fires started are still on going.
Well this is a sad update on the BHR fire.
Navy Charges Sailor with Arson, Hazarding a Vessel in 2020 Fire of Bonhomme Richard (https://news.usni.org/2021/07/29/navy-charges-bonhomme-richard-sailor-in-devastating-2020-fire-of-amphibious-assault-ship)
That is sad. Keelhauling's too good for that guy, or girl, and I don't even know what that is. :knuppel2:
The one thing I would say about this, both as a Surface Warfare Officer and as a former prosecutor is to wait for the evidence. As the earlier USS Iowa turret explosion investigation demonstrated, the USN is not above throwing innocent sailors under the bus. I am not saying that this is the case with regard to the USS Bonhomme Richard. I'm simply saying to wait for the evidence and evaluate the case based on it.
If true (the accusation, that is), then... >:(
Not a squid or even squid-adjacent, but that's a brother branch getting grief and I don't cotton too much to that.
Just reading that it was only one person involved makes me stop for a second. The fire was so devastating that it basically rendered the ship a total loss. One person is capable of doing such damage?
After seeing way too many stories of people doing stupid stuff, could it be a person who didn't want to ship out so they try to do a "little," sabotage which turns out to be much worse?
-I've seen some real dumb ass enlisted types while in the military, so I'd be not surprised if such a thing happened.
So far if the report is true the US navy has suffered more losses by disgruntled workers than enemy action in the last 10 years. This seems like the USS Miami story again
https://www.wearethemighty.com/popular/submarine-fire-uss-miami/
Quote from: Gusington on July 30, 2021, 09:43:55 AM
Just reading that it was only one person involved makes me stop for a second. The fire was so devastating that it basically rendered the ship a total loss. One person is capable of doing such damage?
Because it was a yard period, they had only an extremely small crew onboard. Probably smaller than what they were supposed to have. Only 160, Additionally, I believe they had some issues with their firewatches and roving patrols,although I would have to check on that. Basically, the fire rapidly became too large for such a small crew to contain. Typically, a ship inport will have, as an absolute minimum, 1/6th of the crew onboard at all times, even in "cold iron" on Christmas Day. 25-33% onboard is typical. FWIW, fires on ships are not unusual. They just usually don't get out of control, as USN ships are well equipped, and the crew well trained to handle them. In the case of the Bonhomme Richard, I think there were significant leadership/management/training/TTP lapses.
Quote from: Dammit Carl! on July 30, 2021, 10:50:34 AM
After seeing way too many stories of people doing stupid stuff, could it be a person who didn't want to ship out so they try to do a "little," sabotage which turns out to be much worse?
-I've seen some real dumb ass enlisted types while in the military, so I'd be not surprised if such a thing happened.
Don't get me wrong. I am not saying the fire wasn't deliberately set by a sailor. I could absolutely see that as happening. However, I could see the USN and/or NCIS railroading some enlisted sailor. After all, they have done it before. My only point is to look at the evidence before throwing a sailor (or for that matter, the USN) under the bus.
I don't have the same military experience as many on here (State Guard only) but even I would have got my ass handed to me if I had f'd up on the firewatches I have been on. I never met anyone who did not take firewatch seriously, even in this modern digital age of smoke detectors, fire alarms, etc.
I thought I read that some of the firecontrol gear/sensors were offline due to the work that was ongoing. May have been a different vessel though.
^That...would explain a lot. I wouldn't think that would even be possible in 2021, though.
Quote from: Gusington on July 30, 2021, 01:30:43 PM
^That...would explain a lot. I wouldn't think that would even be possible in 2021, though.
Well the US navy apparently isn't what it used to be according to this report
https://www.westernjournal.com/shocking-report-us-navy-unprepared-war-sailors-forced-undergo-diversity-training-instead-combat-training/ (https://www.westernjournal.com/shocking-report-us-navy-unprepared-war-sailors-forced-undergo-diversity-training-instead-combat-training/)
Quote from: jejo68 on July 31, 2021, 04:43:20 PM
Quote from: Gusington on July 30, 2021, 01:30:43 PM
^That...would explain a lot. I wouldn't think that would even be possible in 2021, though.
Well the US navy apparently isn't what it used to be according to this report
https://www.westernjournal.com/shocking-report-us-navy-unprepared-war-sailors-forced-undergo-diversity-training-instead-combat-training/ (https://www.westernjournal.com/shocking-report-us-navy-unprepared-war-sailors-forced-undergo-diversity-training-instead-combat-training/)
R&P was closed for a reason. Please respect the decision to avoid politically hot topics in the forums until such time as the R&P forum is re-opened.
Sailor accused of arson acquitted (https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2022/09/30/sailor-found-not-guilty-of-setting-fire-that-destroyed-ship/).
Tripoli 1, USN 0.
:notworthy: