USS Bonhomme Richard, Amphibious Assault Ship, on fire with explosions reported

Bear Ribs

Well-known member
My grandfather served on the USS Bunker Hill in WW2, as a fireman. From the stories he told, at some point while attacking Japan itself the ship was hit by two Kamikazes, and he wound up fighting the fires it set, while the ship was towed all the way back to Hawaii, on fire the entire way. The ship was eventually repaired and put back in service after that much damage. He lost most of his friends in those fires and the stories were pretty hair raising.

I have my doubts the Navy's gotten worse since then, though granted I also suspect few sailors can match my grandfather given he made it to 96 and had muscles like rebar even at that age. But my point is that from family experience the navy's good at handling fires and fixing the ships afterwards. I wouldn't write it off as unrepairable until you're actually buying the razorblades it's hull's been recycled into.
 

PsihoKekec

Swashbuckling Accountant
There are several differences between WWII ships and modern day ships. First of all, older ships were overbuilt to a greater degree than modern ships, so they could take more punishment, while modern day ships can take less punishment, but can carry more equipment per tonnage. Also aluminium does not take well to fire.

So while the ship is most likely still salvageable, it is questionable if it would be economic to do that, especially since this isn't wartime.
 

Spartan303

In Captain America we Trust!
Administrator
Staff Member
Founder
Osaul
So she's essentially done for and likely to be scrapped, eh?
 

Knowledgeispower

Ah I love the smell of missile spam in the morning
Was the keel warped, or only frames?

That will likely determine whether they are willing to repair/rebuild her.
Assuming of course Congress will give the Navy a one time subpliment to the budget to repair her and won't order another America earlier than planned.
 

Spartan303

In Captain America we Trust!
Administrator
Staff Member
Founder
Osaul
Assuming of course Congress will give the Navy a one time subpliment to the budget to repair her and won't order another America earlier than planned.

From what I'm hearing, they're likely scrap her and just ask for another America class to replace her.
 

Knowledgeispower

Ah I love the smell of missile spam in the morning
From what I'm hearing, they're likely scrap her and just ask for another America class to replace her.
In all likelihood if it was up to the USN they would probably speed up Bougainville's construction and get the next couple Americas procured and built earlier than planned and extend the service lives of the remaining Wasps to make up for 18 to 23(the Wasp class was designed with a service life of 40 to 45 years)years of service life lost with the Bonhomme Richard not being repaired, but unfortunately what the navy wants and what Congress wants are often two entirely different things and thus I could see her repaired even if it's not cost effective at all(hopefully if this is the case at least Congress will give the extra cash needed to fix her so as not to further strain the USN's already stretched budget)
 
Last edited:

Sailor.X

Cold War Veteran
Founder
In all likelihood if it was up to the USN they would probably speed up Bougainville's construction and get the next couple Americas procured and built earlier than planned and extend the service lives of the remaining Wasps to make up for 18 to 23(the Wasp class was designed with a service life of 40 to 45 years)years of service life lost with the Bonhomme Richard not being repaired, but unfortunately what the navy wants and what Congress wants are often two entirely different things and thus I could see her repaired even if it's not cost effective at all(hopefully if this is the case at least Congress will give the extra cash needed to fix her so as not to further strain the USN's already stretched budget)
I remember when the Wasp was brand new................... Damn I'm old.:( :p
 

Knowledgeispower

Ah I love the smell of missile spam in the morning
I remember when the Wasp was brand new................... Damn I'm old.:( :p
Well she's got at least 9 years of active life left in her. Man replacing the early Wasps will be a right pain considering how close(for major Warships at least) they were completed together and that was before this whole incident occurred on the third youngest member of the class
 

Knowledgeispower

Ah I love the smell of missile spam in the morning

Pictures of it
Man I'd hate to be the CEO and CFO of General Dynamics if the yard is found at fault for the fire. Seriously if they are they're probably building their next DD, or submarine, or couple Oilers for free or its equivalent in penalties
 

Bacle

When the effort is no longer profitable...
Founder
There was also just a fire on the JFK as it was being worked on.


Add this to the small fire on the LHD-3 that caused a 'hot work' stoppage, and this is starting to look less and less like accidents.

Either there is an acute failure in the current management of US dockworkers, or someone has activated sleeper agents to cause problems for the US military during periods of heightened social and international tensions.

I'm not sure which is a worse possibility.
 

Knowledgeispower

Ah I love the smell of missile spam in the morning
There was also just a fire on the JFK as it was being worked on.


Add this to the small fire on the LHD-3 that caused a 'hot work' stoppage, and this is starting to look less and less like accidents.

Either there is an acute failure in the current management of US dockworkers, or someone has activated sleeper agents to cause problems for the US military during periods of heightened social and international tensions.

I'm not sure which is a worse possibility.
Thank god we didn't just lose a super carrier while she was being built. I'm pretty sure Newport News would have been nationalized if we had. And yes I'm pretty sure the USN is going to do a lot of very in depth investigations of all sorts and add tons of new regulations for the yards and religiously enforce them with large penalties due to these incidents
 
Last edited:

PsihoKekec

Swashbuckling Accountant
Man I'd hate to be the CEO and CFO of General Dynamics if the yard is found at fault for the fire. Seriously if they are they're probably building their next DD, or submarine, or couple Oilers for free or its equivalent in penalties
They will just have the congresscritters on their retainer adjust the price of their next contracts to cover any losses.

Either there is an acute failure in the current management of US dockworkers,
From what I remember from the Militaryphotos discussion, it's cheaper for US shipbuilders to buy congresscritters than it is to do their job well. Because this fire is but a tip of the iceberg. Remember the nuclear sub that burned down during refit? Multiple submarines that had to be pulled into emergency refit due to shittily done welds which passed initial inspection through bribery? The fact that pretty much every ship accepted for service needs dock time right away to repair the worst of shipyard fuckups which miraculusly didn't show up at pre-acception inspection.

Through the magic of congresscritter bribery, the shipbuilders managed to ban naval shipyards from building the ships and emasculate them into impotence, banned buying ships from abroad and through mergers came to the point where they can do whatever they want as Navy doesn't have any other option than to buy ships from them
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top