# USS Bonhomme Richard - long term outlook? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 14, 2020, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uss-bonhomme-richard-long-term-outlook/915347 "2020-07-14T23:35:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fir\_na\_tine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Fir\_na\_tine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fir_na_tine)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uss-bonhomme-richard-long-term-outlook/915347/1 "2020-07-14T23:35:13Z")
The ship appears to have suffered extensive damage. I know there are many former sailors on the board. What’s the likelihood it will ever return to service? ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uss-bonhomme-richard-long-term-outlook/915347/2 "2020-07-15T00:20:41Z")
Articles say burn temperature is around 1000°F. So there don’t seem to be any metals burning yet. That’s good news, if you believe the reports. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uss-bonhomme-richard-long-term-outlook/915347/3 "2020-07-15T00:30:09Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > burn temperature is around 1000°F. That is hot enough to seriously affect the strength of the steel, especially after prolonged exposure. Recall that the World Trade Center Towers failed because of heat damage weakening the structure, the steel didn’t need to melt to fail. I’d be surprised and impressed if it’s worth salvaging. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uss-bonhomme-richard-long-term-outlook/915347/4 "2020-07-15T01:19:00Z")
An answer is likely to head off into IMHO territory. I will say that considerations about whether restoration is economically feasible, versus technically feasible, are how the question is going to be answered. Replacement cost on a LHD like that one, is roughly 1.5 billion USD, per the Wasp-class wiki. Then there’s booking the shipyard time to build it. Finally, there was [recent commentary](https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/us-navy-and-marine-corps-want-small-ships-land-troops-war-82566) that the Marine Corps was looking to get away from the LHD-type of large vessel, or at least “complement them” with smaller vessels. Bringing out of reserve, one of the other, earlier ships like USS _[Nassau](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Nassau_(LHA-4))_ or _[Peleliu](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Peleliu)_, might be what happens. As both lack well decks compared to the _Bonhomme Richard_, my guess is that it would be so the USMC could embark air assets vs landing craft, like F-35. Which was a major goal of the 250 million USD renovation process that BR was just about ready to finish when the fire occurred. ---
**Author:** ![19USMC69](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/ac91a4/32.png) [@19USMC69](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/19USMC69)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uss-bonhomme-richard-long-term-outlook/915347/5 "2020-07-15T02:29:42Z")
As of this evening, it’s still burning. Navy reports the engineering spaces untouched. This is a big deal. However, lots of damage. Yesterday the forward portion of the superstructure collapsed. Being aluminum it more or less melted away. There are two gaping holes atop the portion that collapsed. Fire burned through. Either before or during the collapse the main mast crumpled. H-60’s from No. Island have been dropping water on it all day today and yesterday. Nobody knows yet what the interior looks like or where the fire originated. Flight deck remains pretty much intact. Divers attached heat sensors at several points on the hull. Officially there’s little concern w/regard to the fuel. Just coming out of dry dock no ammo onboard. The fire suppression system was not charged. I’m certainly not qualified to say whether it will be scrapped, but the longer it burns, the more likely it will be. Best guess fires won’t be suppressed for a couple more days. I’d post a pic taken from a helo today, but SD won’t let “new users” do so. I’m hardly new to the site, but I was not able to login on with the name/password I’ve had for years. If anyone wants a pic maybe I can get it to you via a PM. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uss-bonhomme-richard-long-term-outlook/915347/6 "2020-07-15T02:38:28Z")
[![](https://news.usni.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/108893838_10219764626038622_2190698116778766496_n-e1594758383225.jpg) ](https://news.usni.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/108893838_10219764626038622_2190698116778766496_n-e1594758383225.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uss-bonhomme-richard-long-term-outlook/915347/7 "2020-07-15T02:56:04Z")
That’s some bad boat, Harry. (Okay, I couldn’t think of a turn on the “bigger boat” quote.) ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uss-bonhomme-richard-long-term-outlook/915347/8 "2020-07-15T02:58:39Z")
BTW, I’m seeing four burn holes. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uss-bonhomme-richard-long-term-outlook/915347/9 "2020-07-15T08:17:34Z")
I didn’t know modern ships were that flammable. ---
**Author:** ![Limmin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f04885/32.png) [@Limmin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Limmin)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2020, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uss-bonhomme-richard-long-term-outlook/915347/10 "2020-07-16T16:22:30Z")
Well, ships aren’t just pure metal. Lots of other stuff…coatings, cables, paper, flammable liquids…and that stuff all burns. Question from me: This is a fairly new-ish ship, isn’t it? I mean, compared to the WWII-era ship of the same name (Essex class IIRC) who had, as its captain, Adm George Morrison (father of yes, Jim Morrison, but apparently of no relation to the historian Adm. Samuel Morrison). The reason I ask is because a couple of days ago I looked up the (possible) connection between the two Admirals Morrison and noted the name of the ship…which just then popped into the news. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2020, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uss-bonhomme-richard-long-term-outlook/915347/11 "2020-07-16T16:23:46Z")
> [@Limmin](#): > > This is a fairly new-ish ship, isn’t it? It is. Launched in '97. > **[USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Bonhomme_Richard_(LHD-6))** > > USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) was a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship of the United States Navy commissioned on 15 August 1998. Like the previous five Wasp-class ships, Bonhomme Richard was designed to embark, deploy, and land elements of a Marine Corps landing force in amphibious assault operations by helicopter, landing craft, and amphibious vehicle, and, if needed, to act as a light aircraft carrier. > LHD-6 was the third ship of the United States Navy to bear the name first given by John Pa... ---
**Author:** ![md-2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@md-2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md-2000)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2020, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uss-bonhomme-richard-long-term-outlook/915347/12 "2020-07-16T23:44:17Z")
The problem with aluminum is that it can burn. IIRC one of the British ships hit by an excocet missile in the Falklands war was basically a write-off once the superstructure caught fire. (HMS Sheffield - [HMS Sheffield (D80) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Sheffield_(D80)) ) ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2020, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uss-bonhomme-richard-long-term-outlook/915347/13 "2020-07-16T23:55:10Z")
The ship was getting an expensive refit for 10 more years of life. At this point my guess is the Bonhomme Richard is going to be scrap. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2020, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uss-bonhomme-richard-long-term-outlook/915347/14 "2020-07-17T00:01:00Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > I didn’t know modern ships were that flammable. News stories say the fire started in a storage area with lots of cardboard and drywall supplies. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2020, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uss-bonhomme-richard-long-term-outlook/915347/15 "2020-07-17T00:02:38Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > At this point my guess is the Bonhomme Richard is going to be scrap. Maybe they could refit one of these guys. > **[13 cruise ships to be scrapped or sold as Carnival Corp. manages COVID fallout...](https://thepointsguy.com/news/carnival-cruise-ships-sold-scrapped/)** > > Carnival Corp. is the parent company of Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America, Seabourn and five other brands. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2020, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uss-bonhomme-richard-long-term-outlook/915347/16 "2020-07-17T00:12:27Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > drywall supplies While the reporters said drywall, what they were told was “tri-wall”, a type of [heavy cardboard storage container](https://www.rppcontainers.com/c/Uni-pak-Bulk-Containers.html) the military often uses to store and ship supplies within. Flammable, like cardboard. AIUI, the ship was getting ready or in the middle of a painting evolution, which is expected at the tail end of a shipyard period. Lots of paint, thinners, solvents, cloths: all of it flammable too. I don’t think they’ll bother renovating a fire damaged, 26 year old ship. Especially if the Navy is moving away from that type of platform. Maybe they might bring back _Peleliu_ from reserve status, despite it lacking a well deck? ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2020, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uss-bonhomme-richard-long-term-outlook/915347/17 "2020-07-17T03:12:49Z")
There are a number of excellent articles on The Drive over in “The War Zone” section. Here they are, latest first. Lots of pictures and commentary. You’ll find some international trolls deep in the comments - move on to the next article. > **[All Known Fires On USS Bonhomme Richard Have Been Extinguished (Updated)](https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/34906/all-known-fires-on-uss-bonhomme-richard-have-been-extinguished)** > > The welcome news comes after over four straight days of firefighting operations aboard the stricken amphibious assault ship. > **[Firefighters Evacuated From Still Burning USS Bonhomme Richard After It Lists...](https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/34862/firefighters-evacuated-from-still-burning-uss-bonhomme-richard-after-it-lists-towards-pier)** > > As the fire aboard the ship approaches the four-day mark, its stability has shifted, prompting an evacuation of the vessel and its pier. > **[Veteran Sailor On Why Navy Ships Can Be Most Vulnerable In Port And How To...](https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/34832/veteran-sailor-on-why-navy-ships-can-be-most-vulnerable-in-port-and-how-to-change-that)** > > USS Bonhomme Richard's catastrophic fire should prompt big changes to in port practices. The Navy should start by looking at its nuclear vessels. > **[Navy Says At Least One Fire Continues To Burn On The USS Bonhomme Richard](https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/34819/navy-says-at-least-one-fire-continues-to-burn-on-the-uss-bonhomme-richard)** > > The service says the ship is stable and structurally sound, but that it's too early to assess its salvageability. > **[Two Decks Are Thought To Separate Fire On USS Bonhomme Richard From 1M...](https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/34801/two-decks-are-thought-to-separate-fire-on-uss-bonhomme-richard-from-1m-gallons-of-fuel)** > > The Navy says it is throwing everything it has at fighting the blaze on the stricken amphibious assault ship as it enters into its 28th hour. > **[USS Bonhomme Richard's Bridge Engulfed In Flames As Fire Rages Into The Night...](https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/34772/uss-bonhomme-richards-bridge-engulfed-in-flames-as-fire-rages-into-the-night)** > > The blaze appears to have migrated to the ship's superstructure that is packed full of sensors, communications gear, weapons, and much more. > **[Amphibious Assault Ship USS Bonhomme Richard Is On Fire At Naval Base San...](https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/34769/amphibious-assault-ship-uss-bonhomme-richard-is-on-fire-in-naval-base-san-diego)** > > Smoke is billowing from the ship as firefighters from around San Diego have moved in to try to stop the blaze. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b77776/32.png) [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_was_in_Saudi)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2020, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uss-bonhomme-richard-long-term-outlook/915347/18 "2020-07-17T04:16:16Z")
[All known fires are now out.](https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2020/07/16/all-known-fires-out-aboard-bonhomme-richard-admiral-says/) Someone will never hear the end of this. ---
**Author:** ![Fir\_na\_tine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Fir\_na\_tine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fir_na_tine)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2020, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uss-bonhomme-richard-long-term-outlook/915347/19 "2020-07-17T15:52:35Z")
Thanks for those links. Great updates. ---
**Author:** ![Limmin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f04885/32.png) [@Limmin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Limmin)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2020, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uss-bonhomme-richard-long-term-outlook/915347/20 "2020-07-17T18:38:54Z")
26 year old ship with damage, ok, if they don’t renovate it I’ll understand. But… Did you all hear they are thinking about re-engining the current fleet of B-52’s, to extend their lives to 2050? Do you realize that would mean each of the planes are almost 90 years old when finally retired? My mind boggles… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uss-bonhomme-richard-long-term-outlook/915347.md?page=2)