New Navy carrier inquiry suggests tough scrutiny of admirals
W A S H I N G T O N — The Navy is launching a wider investigation of the coronavirus crisis aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, suggesting closer and deeper scrutiny of actions and decisions by senior admirals in the Pacific that led to the controversial firing of the ship's commander nearly a month ago.
The move announced Wednesday ef f ecti vely d e l a y s a d e c i s i o n o n whether to go ahead with a Navy recommendation that Capt. Brett E. Crozier be restored to command of the Roosevelt, which has been docked in Guam for weeks. Crozier was fired after pleading for urgent Navy action t o protect his crew.
The expanded inquiry s u g g e s t s t h e N a v y i s looking to hold someone accountable for the most severe virus outbreak to strike the U.S. military. It has infected nearly 1,000 sailors, killing one, and temporarily hobbled an aircraft carrier vital to the Navy's mission of countering China's power in the Asia-Pacific region.
The new investigation was announced by James E. McPherson, the acting N a v y s e c r e t a r y , w h o said in a brief statement t h a t a n i n i t i a l i n q u i r y proved i nsuffi ci ent. “I have unanswered questions that the preliminary inquiry has identified and that can only be answered by a deeper review,” said McPherson, a retired rear admiral who had served as the Navy's judge advocate general, its top lawyer.
T h a t i s a s w i t c h f r o m l a s t w e e k w h e n
McPherson and the top Navy officer, Adm. Mike G i l d a y , p r e s e n t e d t o Defense Secretary Mark Esper their recommendat i on t hat Crozier be reinstated, based on the outcome of a preliminary inquiry by the Navy's No. 2 admiral.
There was no outward indication at the time of t he Esper meeting t hat McPherson believed the initial inquiry was inadequate. But officials said that during the meeting, Army Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, suggested a b r o a d e r , more t h o r - ough i nvestigation was needed.
The expanded i nvest i gati on i s expected t o examine communication and leadership actions in the Navy chain of command i n t he Pacific, t o i n c l u d e e v e n t s b e f o r e the initial virus outbreak i n l ate March, offi ci al s said. This likely includes t he decision t o make a por t v i s i t t o Da Nang, Vietnam, which has been cited as a possible source of t he i nfection aboard the Roosevelt. That decision was made by Adm.
Phi l Davidson, who a s commander of U.S. IndoPacifi c Command i s i n charge of all forces in that region.
Crozier had sent a note to several commanders pleading for more urgent Navy action, i ncluding the removal of nearly all sailors from the ship to protect their health. The acting Navy secretary at the time, Thomas Modly, a c c us e d Cozi e r o f b a d j udgment and di r ected that he be relieved of command April 2. Days later, amid an uproar of his handling of the matter, Modly resigned and was replaced by McPherson.
Crozier has been quarantined off the ship since his firing and is recovering after testing positive for the virus. The decision to extend the investigati on for another month keeps him in limbo. For now, he i s a s s i gned t o the commander of Naval Ai r Forces, Vi c e Adm. DeWolfe Miller. If he i s not r einstated t o command before the Roosevelt l eaves Guam, he would likely fly to San Diego to await the results of the investigation.