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Navy to remove 2,700 sailors from coronavirus-inflicted aircraft carrier in Guam Navy to remove 2,700 sailors from aircraft carrier struggling with coronavirus in Guam
(32 minutes later)
The Navy plans to remove some 2,700 sailors from a coronavirus-inflicted aircraft carrier in Guam in coming days, senior Navy officials said Wednesday, after government officials on the island secured hotel rooms for many of them. The Navy plans to remove about 2,700 sailors from an aircraft carrier in Guam afflicted by the coronavirus, senior Navy officials said Wednesday, as government officials on the island worked to secure hotel rooms for many of them.
The move comes amid intense scrutiny, after a letter from the ship’s captain circulated in the media drew attention to the slow nature with which the service was responding. The commanding officer, Capt. Brett Crozier, wrote that “decisive action is required,” “sailors do not need to die” and that the Navy was “failing to properly to take care of our most trusted asset — our sailors.” The move comes after a letter written by the USS Theodore Roosevelt’s captain, circulated in the news media, drew attention to the service’s response to the situation. The commanding officer, Capt. Brett Crozier, wrote that “decisive action is required,” “sailors do not need to die” and that if the Navy didn’t act, it was “failing to properly to take care of our most trusted asset — our sailors.”
Acting Navy secretary Thomas B. Modly told Pentagon reporters that the sailors are expected to all stay on Guam. As of Wednesday afternoon, 93 sailors had tested positive and 87 more were exhibiting symptoms associated with the virus. Nearly 1,300 had been tested, with hundreds testing negative, he said. Acting Navy secretary Thomas B. Modly told reporters that nearly 1,000 sailors have left the ship so far for testing and quarantining. As of Wednesday, 93 sailors had tested positive, 593 tested negative, and 87 more were exhibiting symptoms associated with the virus, he said.
Modly said it is unlikely that Crozier will be punished for writing the letter but disagreed with any assessment that the Navy might not take care of its sailors.
“It’s disappointing to have him say that,” Modly said. “At the same time, I know that’s not the truth. We have been working very, very hard within the ship to ensure the command structure that’s exactly what we’re doing.”
But Modly and the Navy’s chief of naval operations, Adm. Michael Gilday, acknowledged that there was a communications breakdown between Crozier, who reports directly to admirals in the Pacific, and senior Navy officials at the Pentagon.
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“The misunderstanding perhaps was the requirement of the speed to get people off the ship,” Gilday said. “In order to act on a requirement, we have to clearly understand the requirement.”
The situation on the Roosevelt is the Defense Department’s single-largest known outbreak of covid-19, crippling one of the Pentagon’s most significant strategic weapons. The “Big Stick,” as the ship is affectionately nicknamed, effectively is a 20-story floating city that is home to about 4,800 people and scores of fighter jets and other weapons. Two other aircraft carriers are still at sea.
The Navy's handling of the outbreak prompted not only Crozier's letter, but family members of deployed sailors to voice frustrations about the Pentagon.
One person close to a sailor aboard the ship, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of concerns it would lead to retaliation, said Tuesday that the crew has been asking “higher ups” in the Navy for help disembarking for more than a week.
“In turn, they received half-baked plans that never materialized, and were in essence told to stick out as the virus spread rapidly aboard,” the person said. “Since the media found out, the Navy leaders have seemingly been more responsive, but that remains to be seen.”
Crozier asked the Navy to allow him to clear 90 percent of the ship to allow for deep cleaning and assurances that his entire crew was free of the virus, but Modly said he did not think it is possible to go that far. More sailors will be needed to man weapons, oversee nuclear reactors and watch for fires, among other tasks.
The ship deployed from San Diego in January along with other vessels in its strike group. As the coronavirus spread globally, the carrier visited Danang, Vietnam, on March 5 as the United States and Vietnam celebrated 25 years of normalized relations.
Gilday said the stop in Vietnam was a “risk-informed decision” because the country has about 15 or 16 reports cases at the time. Cases of coronavirus began emerging in Hanoi while the Theodore Roosevelt was docked there, and on the ship about two weeks later while it was at sea.