Fire And Explosion On The Bonhomme Richard

[mso489]

As most know by now, the USS Bonhomme Richard amphibious assault ship caught fire and exploded while ported in San Diego, injuring 21 of its maintenance crew. Most of its thousand and some crew members were housed onshore. The fire is so intense it could burn to the waterline. I immediately remembered encountering the Bonhomme Richard off Vietnam, but now learn from the news that this is the third ship of that name, this one commissioned in the late nineties. The bad news is obvious. The good news is that most of the crew was ashore, and there were no fatalities with the maintenance crew. Fire is a number one concern on all ships, and warships especially because of munitions and other flammables. I hope the injured heal well and quickly.

 

[kcghost]

The first Bon Homme Richard was commanded by John Paul Jones in the American Revolution. She won a major victory defeating the HMS Serapis at Flamborough Hill. Despite winning the engagement the Bon Homme Richard suffered enough damage that it sunk about two days after the battle was concluded.

 

[mso489]

By one account, the original sailing ship was named after Benjamin Franklin's "Poor Richard's Almanac." I respond to fires on Navy ships having been not only on a Navy ship, but on one with a hull and superstructure mostly of Washington spruce, since it was a minesweeper and constructed to be as non-magnetic as possible. Today they do that with other materials and degaussing systems, although we had that too. On our patrol in the South China Sea off Vietnam, within hearing distance of shore, one of our own aircraft lit us up at night with a combat flare to identify us. Oops. The damage control guy came flying up on decks wild with apprehension, thinking it was a stack fire, it was that bright. We still lit the smoking lamp every morning. If you want interesting info on the current minesweeper function in the Navy (and I know everyone is fascinated by that) Google Littoral Combat Ship, quite a tale.

 

[jpmcwjr]

There's a new movie on AppleTV about a convoy across the Atlantic in WWII. Tom Hanks. Sure to be some action, though minesweepers maybe not.

 

[carlomarx]

There's a new movie on AppleTV about a convoy across the Atlantic in WWII. Tom Hanks. Sure to be some action, though minesweepers maybe not.

That'd be " Greyhound", based on the novel " The Good Shepard" by C. S. Forester. It is a shame we won't have the opportunity to see it on the big screen.

 

[mso489]

Elvis Presley was in a movie "Easy Come, Easy Go" that featured my Navy ship, USS Gallant MSO 489, early in the film when Presley, as a Navy diver, was getting out the the Navy to become a treasure hunting diver. That was some years before I was on the ship, but after Elvis got out of the Army, I think.

 

[JMcQ]

Every Sailor is a firefighter first. I was told that in boot camp and still is the truth. The LCS's have made progress in the firefighting department, but it's still a Sailor's worst fear.

 

[jpmcwjr]

That'd be " Greyhound", based on the novel " The Good Shepard" by C. S. Forester. It is a shame we won't have the opportunity to see it on the big screen.

Not sure of that. The CGI created ships look fake enough on a 65" UHD TV.

 

[brandaves]

That'd be " Greyhound", based on the novel " The Good Shepard" by C. S. Forester. It is a shame we won't have the opportunity to see it on the big screen.

I watched Greyhound a few days ago. It's an excellent movie about the Allied ships that protected shipping from U-Boats during the Atlantic crossing. A very dangerous duty. Highly recommend the movie.

 

[carlomarx]

I watched Greyhound a few days ago. It's an excellent movie about the Allied ships that protected shipping from U-Boats during the Atlantic crossing. A very dangerous duty. Highly recommend the movie.

Not sure of that. The CGI created ships look fake enough on a 65" UHD TV.

Good point. Not to stray too far from the OP but speaking of destroyer vs submarines, "the Enemy Below" staring Robert Mitchum and Curt Jergens is one of my favorite war movies.

 

[mso489]

I haven't yet heard the fire is completely out, but I did hear speculation early on that the ship could burn essentially to the waterline (and be recycled as scrap I presume). They very quickly moved ships moored nearby, to save those ships and make way for the firefighting boats with water canon. Though the captain could be found blameless after the inevitable long inquiry, this will probably tank his career and any further promotions. You have to be both competent and lucky in the officer corps ... this from a mere enlisted man who'd cleaned the heads (bathrooms) and took the trash to the dumpsters onshore. I was trustee enough to stay ashore during some sea trials with the ship's truck to pick up the mail. I keep trying to find my skipper online, a combat pilot who took a line command to broaden his resume; I thought he was headed to the admiralty, but perhaps not. The executive officer, second in command, was from my hometown, a former river patrol boat skipper, has since passed on, per an obit sent me from the hometown paper by my folks.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Greyhound was, in the end, an enjoyable watch, once I stopped looking for faulty details or lack of detail.
Hanks did a fine job of showing a very human captain, and the communication aboard those vessels was an eye opener.

 

[Akousticplyr]

Greyhound was, in the end, an enjoyable watch, once I stopped looking for faulty details or lack of detail.
Hanks did a fine job of showing a very human captain, and the communication aboard those vessels was an eye opener.

Agreed. I thought it was a good movie - it gives a glimpse of the terror that allied shipping experienced during the Battle of the Atlantic. Quite exciting.

 

[jpmcwjr]

And it underlined for me how vulnerable the merchant ships were. If lucky, they might have a bead on or info on an incoming torpedo, and luckier still, be able to maneuver out of danger.

I wonder if the taunting by the U-boaters was a fact. I'd guess not, as it allows the good guys to get a radio bearing on the sub they wouldn't normally have. .

 

[anantaandroscoggin]

I always remember that one story (true? apocryphal?) of the U-Boat that was sunk by potatoes. Supposedly, some of the mess-cooks of an allied warship were on deck peeling potatoes, when they noticed a U-boat alongside with its hatch open. While they began hollering at their own crew of the danger, they began pelting the sub's casing with what they had at hand, potatoes.

The story goes on to say that it appeared the sub's crew panicked at the noise, interpreting it as enemy fire, and submerged without bothering to close that hatch, and once it began descending, continued on to the bottom with a full load of seawater.

 

[anantaandroscoggin]

It really wasn't all that many years ago that one of the boomers was in Portsmouth (NH) Naval Shipyard when a yard-worker pulled an idiot stunt and set fire to the sub. The fire pretty much destroyed the boat from stem to stern,

 

[mso489]

I heard a short radio news report that the Chief of Naval Operations had gone to San Diego to inspect the Bonhomme Richard and expressed doubt that the ship is worth rebuilding. It is twenty years old and burnt for four days. I surmise the heat and collapsed structural components are deformed such that it will not accept repair. We shall see. Now for the long inquiry related to cause of the fire and potential fault.

 

[Country Bladesmith]

I heard a short radio news report that the Chief of Naval Operations had gone to San Diego to inspect the Bonhomme Richard and expressed doubt that the ship is worth rebuilding. It is twenty years old and burnt for four days. I surmise the heat and collapsed structural components are deformed such that it will not accept repair. We shall see. Now for the long inquiry related to cause of the fire and potential fault.

Doesn’t take that much heat, relatively speaking, to absolutely ruin the heat-treat on steel. Even if it still looks sound, it’s wrecked at that point. A sustained fire will do it.

 

[crawdad]

I wonder who’s going to be the scapegoat. Someone’s head has to roll.

 

[Country Bladesmith]

I wonder who’s going to be the scapegoat. Someone’s head has to roll.

I wouldn’t bet against it.