This photo provided by the U.S. Navy shows Rear Adm. Philip Sobeck, Commander, Expeditionary Strike Group Three, and Capt. G. S. Thoroman, commanding officer, amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard, salute the ensign for colors during a decommissioning ceremony at Naval Base San Diego April 14, 2021. The U.S. Navy has decommissioned the USS Bonhomme Richard docked off San Diego nine months after flames engulfed it. (Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Alex Millar/U.S. Navy via AP)
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UPDATED 8:58 AM PT – Thursday, April 15, 2021
The U.S. Navy has formally decommissioned the USS Bonhomme Richard the amphibious assault ship destroyed by a fire last year. According to reports Wednesday, the decommissioning ceremony in San Diego saw commanding officers and crew bid farewell to the ship.
This came nine months after a massive four-day fire that caused extensive structural, electrical and mechanical damage. The ship is expected to be towed to a Texas shipyard where it will be dismantled.
“Though it will no longer sail with the surface force, its steel will reinforce other ships, its supplies will be distributed across the waterfront, its weapons will defend our nation, its sailors will take their knowledge and experience to their crews and its spirit of camaraderie will always remain the pride of those who have served,” stated RDML Philip Sobek, Commander of Expeditionary Strike Group 3.
A Navy official said arson was believed to be the cause of the fire. Officials estimated the cost of repairing the USS Bonhomme Richard would have exceeded $2 billion while dismantling it will cost around $30 million.
USS Bonhomme Richard Decommissioning Ceremony:
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