A US Navy sailor is accused of setting a small fire that totaled the amphibious assault ship, Bonhomme Richard.

It seems to me that a more important question than who or what started the fire is, why was the ship vulnerable to being destroyed by the setting of a small fire? That is a lousy characteristic for a warship. In battle, even small hits can start a fire. A ship that can be destroyed so easily is not a very good ship for a navy.