Navy Scrapped USS Bonhomme Richard After 2020 Fire

The vessel was sold for $3.66 million following a blaze that caused irreparable damage.

Updated on Sept. 24, 2026 in Military

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of an abstract naval ship hull, evoking the decommissioning of the USS Bonhomme Richard. — The U.S. Navy decommissioned the USS Bonhomme Richard and sold the vessel for $3.66 million following a 2020 fire that rendered it irreparable. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Should the US military prioritize repairing damaged naval vessels over decommissioning them?

Following a massive fire that burned from July 12 to July 16, 2020, the U.S. Navy decommissioned and scrapped the USS Bonhomme Richard. The ship was sold to a Texas company for $3.66 million after officials determined repair costs were prohibitive.

Why it matters

The decision to decommission the ship stemmed from a Navy assessment that restoration would require $3.2 billion and five to seven years of work. The loss marked a significant end for the amphibious assault ship after a 2020 fire at Naval Base San Diego.

The ship cost roughly $750 million to construct in the 1990s and was undergoing a $250 million overhaul at the time of the fire. Repairs were deemed unfeasible due to the $3.2 billion projected cost.

The players

United States Navy

The United States Navy is the maritime branch of the U.S. Armed Forces and is responsible for maintaining and operating naval fleets.

The details

Workers removed specialized equipment from the 40,000-ton vessel before the hull was towed to Brownsville, Texas, for final dismantling. Emergency crews, including local firefighters and helicopter teams, spent days battling the flames at the San Diego pier.

1998: The USS Bonhomme Richard was commissioned.
July 12-16, 2020: The ship burned while docked in San Diego.
November 2020: The Navy officially decommissioned the vessel.
April 2021: The hull was towed to Texas for scrapping.
2022: A military judge acquitted the sailor accused of starting the fire.

Military
Sept. 23
U.S. Navy Modified Maintenance Due to Middle East Combat
Military
Sept. 24
U.S. Navy Will Extend USS Nimitz Service to March 2027
Nuclear
Sept. 20
US Navy Lost Years of Submarine Availability

Political Context

Opponents of the Navy's disposal strategy argued that the service should have investigated alternative repair methods before writing off the massive investment. Critics of the decision highlighted the significant cost difference between building a new vessel and the projected $3.2 billion salvage effort.

The decommissioning of the ship resulted in a significant loss of naval capability and required the Department of the Navy to reallocate billions in planned funding. Taxpayers effectively absorbed the total loss of the initial $750 million construction cost and the failed $250 million upgrade project.

The takeaway

The incident serves as a stark reminder of the extreme financial and logistical risks posed by fires on major naval vessels. Future fleet management strategies now account for the prohibitive costs of repairing legacy ships damaged by catastrophic events.