Photos have emerged online this week of the charred insides of the amphibious assault ship Bonhomme Richard, which burned for more than four days this week.
A Navy official confirmed the authenticity of the images.
The collection below was gathered and posted on Twitter by @Osinttechnical.
The fire was called away at 8:30 a.m. Sunday.
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday said Friday that officials thought the blaze was under control as of Sunday evening, but that wind and explosions forced a retreat of fire crews.
Whether the ship will sail again remains unclear.
Gilday said the defense industry could make Bonhomme Richard seaworthy again, but that it may not be worth the cost.
Bonhomme Richard was in a San Diego shipyard in the midst of upgrades to take on the next-generation F-35B fighter jet. The loss of the amphib raises questions about how the Navy will get the jets to a future fight.
The forward mast collapsed during the fire, and temperatures inside the ship reached 1,200 degrees.
Helicopter crews dropped water on the exterior of the ship to cool it enough to allow fire crews to enter.
Dozens of Navy and civilian firefighters suffered minor injuries, mainly heat exhaustion and smoke inhalation.
The blaze is believed to have started in a cargo hold.
CNO Gilday called the burning of the ship “a gut punch” for its crew, but said they are being looked after.
“The names of those ships mean something to those sailors,” Gilday said. “This is their home. This is where they would fight from.”
Several investigations will be undertaken into the Bonhomme Richard fire.
“We will follow the facts,” Gilday said Friday, promising that investigations into the fire will be made public. “We’ll be honest with ourselves.”
The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society in San Diego is accepting uniform items and donations for the Bonhomme Richard crew. Go to https://action.nmcrs.org/BHR to learn more.
All donations are being accepted via the Support the Enlisted Project, 858-695-6810, as is the USO, 619-235-6503.
Geoff is the managing editor of Military Times, but he still loves writing stories. He covered Iraq and Afghanistan extensively and was a reporter at the Chicago Tribune. He welcomes any and all kinds of tips at geoffz@militarytimes.com.
