ToplineAccording to the U.S. Navy, a sailor was accused of intentionally starting a fire on the USS Bonhomme Richard last year. The ship suffered damage that was worth billions of dollars and was eventually decommissioned.Port of San Diego Harbor Police Department boats fight a fire on the amphibious assault vessel... [+] USS Bonhomme Richard at Naval Base San Diego, July 12, 2020. U.S. Navy via Getty ImagesThe Key FactsThe Navy has confirmed that a sailor belonging to the USS Bonhomme Ricks crew was responsible last July's fire. According to the Navy, there is enough evidence for a preliminary hearing. This is an early step in military justice. The commander of the Navy's Third Fleet is currently weighing court-martial allegations against the sailor. Third Fleet spokesperson Sean Robertson stated that the sailor could be charged with aggravated arson or willful hazarding a vessel.Important BackgroundThe USS Bonhomme Richard was an amphibious assault vessel that was built over 20 years ago. It was currently being retrofitted in San Diego when it caught on fire last July. More than 12 sailors sustained non-life-threatening injuries after the ship, 843 feet long, caught fire. Although the Navy spent many years refurbishing Bonhomme Richard in order to transport F-35B stealth fighters to the Bonhomme Richard, it decided to scrap the ship and decommission it late last year, instead of spending seven and a half million dollars repairing it.Big Number$3 billion The Navy calculated last November that a complete restoration of Bonhomme Richard would cost $3 billion. According to the Navy, it would cost more than $1B to convert the vessel into a submarine tender or hospital ship.Important QuoteAfter a thorough material assessment, in which many options were evaluated and considered, we concluded that it was not financially responsible to restore her," Secretary of the Navy Kenneth Braithwaite stated in a statement last January, after the Navy decided to decommission the ship.SurprisingAfter a 2012 fire that ravaged Maine, the Navy decommissioned attack submarine USS Miami seven years ago. The Navy determined that it was intentionally started. Casey Fury, a civil shipyard worker, pleaded guilty in the arson case and was sentenced for 17 years.Continue readingThe Headache of a Burnt Bonhomme Richard is No More for New Navy Bosss (Forbes).It's not surprising that the U.S. Navy will scrap the smoldering USS Bonhomme RichardIts Terrible at Repairing Ships (Forbes).
