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| Navy Inquiry Faults Two Top Officers Aboard Roosevelt for Handling of Virus | Navy Inquiry Faults Two Top Officers Aboard Roosevelt for Handling of Virus |
| (3 days later) | |
| WASHINGTON — The two top officers aboard the aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt made poor decisions in response to the outbreak of the coronavirus onboard the warship, according to the final results of a Navy inquiry released Friday. | WASHINGTON — The two top officers aboard the aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt made poor decisions in response to the outbreak of the coronavirus onboard the warship, according to the final results of a Navy inquiry released Friday. |
| As a result of the findings, Capt. Brett E. Crozier will not be restored to command of the virus-stricken ship, and his boss onboard, Rear. Adm. Stuart P. Baker, will have his promotion to two-star admiral put on hold. | As a result of the findings, Capt. Brett E. Crozier will not be restored to command of the virus-stricken ship, and his boss onboard, Rear. Adm. Stuart P. Baker, will have his promotion to two-star admiral put on hold. |
| There will be no other punitive action taken against Captain Crozier, but not regaining his command will effectively end his three-decade career in the Navy. | There will be no other punitive action taken against Captain Crozier, but not regaining his command will effectively end his three-decade career in the Navy. |
| The conclusions of the investigation were announced by Kenneth Braithwaite, the Navy secretary, and Adm. Michael M. Gilday, the chief of naval operations, at a Pentagon news conference. | The conclusions of the investigation were announced by Kenneth Braithwaite, the Navy secretary, and Adm. Michael M. Gilday, the chief of naval operations, at a Pentagon news conference. |
| “They did not do enough, soon enough,” Admiral Gilday told reporters, referring to both Captain Crozier and Admiral Baker’s initial efforts to combat the illness as the ship pulled into Guam. | “They did not do enough, soon enough,” Admiral Gilday told reporters, referring to both Captain Crozier and Admiral Baker’s initial efforts to combat the illness as the ship pulled into Guam. |
| “If Captain Crozier was still in command, I would be relieving him,” Admiral Gilday said. | “If Captain Crozier was still in command, I would be relieving him,” Admiral Gilday said. |
| The decisions signify a reversal for Admiral Gilday. He previously had recommended to his Pentagon superiors that command of the Roosevelt be returned to Captain Crozier, who was relieved in April after he pleaded for more help fighting the coronavirus outbreak aboard his ship in an email that eventually leaked to the media. | The decisions signify a reversal for Admiral Gilday. He previously had recommended to his Pentagon superiors that command of the Roosevelt be returned to Captain Crozier, who was relieved in April after he pleaded for more help fighting the coronavirus outbreak aboard his ship in an email that eventually leaked to the media. |
| The events surrounding Captain Crozier, who has been viewed as a hero by his crew for putting their lives above his career, had seized the attention of the Navy, the military and even a nation struggling with the coronavirus. | The events surrounding Captain Crozier, who has been viewed as a hero by his crew for putting their lives above his career, had seized the attention of the Navy, the military and even a nation struggling with the coronavirus. |
| At its core, the Pentagon’s understanding of what happened on the Roosevelt and the reach of the infection parallels the world’s growing understanding of the illness, rendering the investigation’s results with a sense of 20-20 hindsight given the lack of knowledge at the beginning of the crisis when crew members first tested positive for the novel coronavirus. | At its core, the Pentagon’s understanding of what happened on the Roosevelt and the reach of the infection parallels the world’s growing understanding of the illness, rendering the investigation’s results with a sense of 20-20 hindsight given the lack of knowledge at the beginning of the crisis when crew members first tested positive for the novel coronavirus. |
| Admiral Gilday was quick to distance Captain Crozier’s initial email pleading for more help from his chain of command — the focus of the Navy’s preliminary inquiry in April — from the final outcome of a second, more wide-reaching investigation. | Admiral Gilday was quick to distance Captain Crozier’s initial email pleading for more help from his chain of command — the focus of the Navy’s preliminary inquiry in April — from the final outcome of a second, more wide-reaching investigation. |
| Admiral Gilday said the second inquiry focused on a series of decisions by Captain Crozier and Admiral Baker as the Roosevelt pulled into Guam, namely that they failed to enforce social distancing in the tight quarters aboard ship, and waited for hotel rooms on Guam to open up instead of rushing the crew to cramped housing on base. Yet, that could have led to more infections. | Admiral Gilday said the second inquiry focused on a series of decisions by Captain Crozier and Admiral Baker as the Roosevelt pulled into Guam, namely that they failed to enforce social distancing in the tight quarters aboard ship, and waited for hotel rooms on Guam to open up instead of rushing the crew to cramped housing on base. Yet, that could have led to more infections. |
| “They placed crew comfort ahead of crew safety,” Admiral Gilday said. He added that the ship's air wing commander and chief medical officer would also face administrative punishment. | “They placed crew comfort ahead of crew safety,” Admiral Gilday said. He added that the ship's air wing commander and chief medical officer would also face administrative punishment. |
| Absent from the investigation’s finding was any blame for senior Navy leaders who approved the Roosevelt’s four-day port call in early March to Da Nang, Vietnam, where Admiral Gilday said the virus most likely came aboard. | Absent from the investigation’s finding was any blame for senior Navy leaders who approved the Roosevelt’s four-day port call in early March to Da Nang, Vietnam, where Admiral Gilday said the virus most likely came aboard. |
| The top United States military officer in the Pacific, Adm. Philip S. Davidson, ordered the visit to proceed as a show of military might in a region increasingly worried about China’s growing territorial claims in the South China Sea. It was also only the second time a U.S. aircraft carrier had visited the country since the end of the Vietnam War. | The top United States military officer in the Pacific, Adm. Philip S. Davidson, ordered the visit to proceed as a show of military might in a region increasingly worried about China’s growing territorial claims in the South China Sea. It was also only the second time a U.S. aircraft carrier had visited the country since the end of the Vietnam War. |
| Admiral Gilday defended that decision to proceed with the port call, saying there had been only a handful of reported coronavirus cases, mostly in the northern part of the country, at the time the Roosevelt pulled in. | Admiral Gilday defended that decision to proceed with the port call, saying there had been only a handful of reported coronavirus cases, mostly in the northern part of the country, at the time the Roosevelt pulled in. |
| The three-month saga of the Theodore Roosevelt also offers a window into how the military has tried to adjust to the wishes of an unpredictable commander in chief. Captain Crozier was fired in part because of fears that President Trump wanted him gone, and not knowing how the president feels about reinstating the captain has cast a shadow over the Navy’s actions ever since. | The three-month saga of the Theodore Roosevelt also offers a window into how the military has tried to adjust to the wishes of an unpredictable commander in chief. Captain Crozier was fired in part because of fears that President Trump wanted him gone, and not knowing how the president feels about reinstating the captain has cast a shadow over the Navy’s actions ever since. |
| Captain Crozier was relieved of command on April 2 by the then-acting Navy Secretary Thomas B. Modly, who said he had lost confidence in him. After the firing, Captain Crozier’s personal setback took on momentum as a larger cause. Videos of hundreds of sailors cheering their skipper as he walked off the ship’s gangway spread widely on social media. | Captain Crozier was relieved of command on April 2 by the then-acting Navy Secretary Thomas B. Modly, who said he had lost confidence in him. After the firing, Captain Crozier’s personal setback took on momentum as a larger cause. Videos of hundreds of sailors cheering their skipper as he walked off the ship’s gangway spread widely on social media. |
| In an ill-advised attempt to control a quickly deteriorating public affairs disaster after the firing of Captain Crozier, Mr. Modly flew 8,000 miles to Guam. | In an ill-advised attempt to control a quickly deteriorating public affairs disaster after the firing of Captain Crozier, Mr. Modly flew 8,000 miles to Guam. |
| Onboard the Roosevelt, he delivered a 15-minute tirade at the crew that, once it leaked, infuriated members of Congress, military families and even senior Defense Department civilians and military officers. Mr. Modly was forced to resign. | Onboard the Roosevelt, he delivered a 15-minute tirade at the crew that, once it leaked, infuriated members of Congress, military families and even senior Defense Department civilians and military officers. Mr. Modly was forced to resign. |
| At about the same time, Mr. Trump voiced conflicting views about Captain Crozier’s fate. At one point, Mr. Trump indicated that he might be open to reassessing the events around the firing. He said that Captain Crozier “made a mistake,” but he also noted that the captain “had a bad day.” | At about the same time, Mr. Trump voiced conflicting views about Captain Crozier’s fate. At one point, Mr. Trump indicated that he might be open to reassessing the events around the firing. He said that Captain Crozier “made a mistake,” but he also noted that the captain “had a bad day.” |
| Updated July 22, 2020 | |
| Pentagon officials said on Friday that Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper supported the Navy’s decisions and had told the White House about them before the news conference. | Pentagon officials said on Friday that Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper supported the Navy’s decisions and had told the White House about them before the news conference. |
| A senior administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss confidential communications, said no one from the White House was consulted with or provided guidance on the decision. | A senior administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss confidential communications, said no one from the White House was consulted with or provided guidance on the decision. |
| Some senior lawmakers reacted with skepticism to the Navy’s latest decision. | Some senior lawmakers reacted with skepticism to the Navy’s latest decision. |
| Representative Adam Smith, a Washington Democrat who heads the House Armed Services Committee, said the Navy should have conducted a more comprehensive investigation from the very beginning. He added that blame for the Navy’s bungled response to the Covid-19 outbreak extended well beyond Captain Crozier. | Representative Adam Smith, a Washington Democrat who heads the House Armed Services Committee, said the Navy should have conducted a more comprehensive investigation from the very beginning. He added that blame for the Navy’s bungled response to the Covid-19 outbreak extended well beyond Captain Crozier. |
| “The Navy did not respond the way they should have or as quickly as they should have to adequately address the outbreak,” Mr. Smith said in a statement. “Everyone up and down the chain of command had a role to play in the inadequate response —- including then-Acting Secretary of the Navy Modly.” | “The Navy did not respond the way they should have or as quickly as they should have to adequately address the outbreak,” Mr. Smith said in a statement. “Everyone up and down the chain of command had a role to play in the inadequate response —- including then-Acting Secretary of the Navy Modly.” |
| Mr. Smith said the committee was conducting its own inquiry into what happened aboard the Roosevelt. | Mr. Smith said the committee was conducting its own inquiry into what happened aboard the Roosevelt. |
| After a weekslong quarantine in Guam, the Roosevelt resumed operations in the Philippine Sea this month. The 4,600 crew members — minus 200 sailors who stayed behind to recover from the coronavirus and were eventually flown to the United States — assumed they would be home sometime in July, the scheduled end of their six-month deployment. | After a weekslong quarantine in Guam, the Roosevelt resumed operations in the Philippine Sea this month. The 4,600 crew members — minus 200 sailors who stayed behind to recover from the coronavirus and were eventually flown to the United States — assumed they would be home sometime in July, the scheduled end of their six-month deployment. |
| But just days before their departure from the island, sailors were told their deployment had been extended. | But just days before their departure from the island, sailors were told their deployment had been extended. |
| For how long remains unclear — although one crew member said that it most likely had to do with the Navy’s desire to simultaneously deploy three nuclear-powered carriers in the Western Pacific for a symbolic show of American might and a photo op. | For how long remains unclear — although one crew member said that it most likely had to do with the Navy’s desire to simultaneously deploy three nuclear-powered carriers in the Western Pacific for a symbolic show of American might and a photo op. |
| This sentiment was echoed in an announcement to the crew by the interim skipper, Capt. Carlos Sardiello, just before the ship departed from Guam. Broadcasting from the ship’s loudspeakers, Captain Sardiello called the Roosevelt a “symbol” to the free world, and its triumph over the novel coronavirus a monumental feat. | This sentiment was echoed in an announcement to the crew by the interim skipper, Capt. Carlos Sardiello, just before the ship departed from Guam. Broadcasting from the ship’s loudspeakers, Captain Sardiello called the Roosevelt a “symbol” to the free world, and its triumph over the novel coronavirus a monumental feat. |
| But the Roosevelt is still fighting to change its luck. | But the Roosevelt is still fighting to change its luck. |
| Two F/A-18F Super Hornet aviators were forced to eject while conducting routine flight operations on the Philippine Sea on Thursday, the Navy said in a statement. Both aviators were quickly rescued and are in good condition, but the $64.3 million attack plane was lost to the depths. An investigation is underway. | Two F/A-18F Super Hornet aviators were forced to eject while conducting routine flight operations on the Philippine Sea on Thursday, the Navy said in a statement. Both aviators were quickly rescued and are in good condition, but the $64.3 million attack plane was lost to the depths. An investigation is underway. |