The Navy has punished greater than two dozen officers and sailors for the dayslong hearth that destroyed the USS Bonhomme Richard amphibious assault ship.
This motion got here because of the Navy's discovering that the response to the fireplace was insufficient, and hearth prevention measures have been missing. An investigation launched final yr concluded an act of arson had began the fireplace, however the incapacity to extinguish it finally destroyed the ship.
The Navy introduced Friday the commanding officer of the ship, Capt. Gregory Scott Thoroman, has obtained a career-ending punitive letter of reprimand and forfeiture of pay, and each the manager officer and the command grasp chief additionally obtained related letters. Decrease rating officers and sailors aboard the ship have been disciplined with different measures.
As well as, three admirals obtained derogatory letters from the secretary of the Navy.
"This hearth might have been prevented with sufficient oversight into the ship's materials situation and the crew's readiness to fight a fireplace," Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro stated in an announcement.
The actions introduced on Friday are separate from the continuing legal proceedings towards the seaman apprentice accused of beginning the fireplace, Ryan Mays.
The fireplace began in July 2020 whereas the ship was present process an overhaul in San Diego. It burned for days and injured over 60 sailors and civilians earlier than firefighters have been capable of put it out. Round 60% of the ship was destroyed, Navy officers instructed CBS Information on the time.
Restoring the ship to its earlier situation would price an estimated $2.5 to $3.2 billion and would take 5 to seven years, so the Navy determined as an alternative to decommission and dismantle the ship.
David Martin contributed to this report.