USS Bonhomme Richard (1765)

One of John Paul Jones' ships.
USS Bonhomme Richard (1765) - Wikipedia

 

....had to be a tough one to be a sailor/etc back then....living conditions/discipline/etc ....living in close quarters like sardines .......it's not like living in a barracks

!!
..cannon balls and chain shot whipping around..splinters.....

 

let us not forget.
"Sir, I have not yet begun to fight!"

 

Fire erupts on board the latest edition in San Diego.

Multiple Injured After Fire Erupts on Navy Ship

 

The flight deck & hanger were being upgraded, maybe that is the source. The fire was supposed to be in the Deep V hold.

Ship's over 20 years old...Hopefully not a total constructive loss.

You would think the navy learned from the burning of the Miami...Guess not.

 

Jones' Bonhomme Richard was originally an East Indiaman, a large merchant ship, usually well armed. The design was similar to a ship of the line, although they usually only carried guns on the main deck, forecastle, and quarterdeck. Most of BR's armament was probably what she had carried as an Indiaman, 28 12pdrs and 6-8 9pdrs. The six 18pdrs on the lower deck were apparently added for her warship role (just to keep things confusing, the lower deck was sometimes referred to as the gun deck although few if any guns were usually carried there).

I've always been curious about the 9pdrs. That was not a normal French caliber; they usually used 8pdrs. However, since weights and measures were not standardized, a French (or Spanish) 8-pound ball weighed almost 9 English/American pounds.

 

had heard the "-havent yet begun to fight" quote before, so it was interesting to find its origin.
i would have thought it was a civil land war quote.

 

how could a fire ravage through a modern warship
knowing ships have insane fire systems and requirements-
what could burn so hot and long in an unarmed ship...
were halon systems disabled while welding maybe

 

Because people are idiots.

Rule #1: Do not...Under any circumstances...Disconnect the fire suppression system.

Rule #2: Do not...Under any circumstances...Especially if you have broken Rule #1...Store highly flammable construction materials aboard ship.

Rule #3: If you break Rule #1 & Rule #2...You are the "Glorious Heir to the Throne of the Kingdom of Idiots."

Fire suppression systems only work...A) If you have one & B) It is turned on. BR had one It was turned off.

They were storing all? Construction materials in the hold for ease of access. Shipyard crews are notoriously messy. So the ship was likely filled with trash & such...Not to mention all that paint, wiring and such.

Halon was disabled. But no welding was going on where the fire started.

 

I can imagine the safety meeting that will be generated over this incident.

 

im easily confused.
the first BR was way back.
the second BR was a carrier(?)
wiki says it was scrapped in 92.

USS Bon Homme Richard (CV-31) - Wikipedia

 

what was so volitile, the ship burned so much?

 

3 corrects
you forgot easily confused