Originally Posted by oldhp
Originally Posted by fdcg27
Originally Posted by Pew
Originally Posted by gman2304
It's unfortunate he abandoned the chain of command protocol and leaked to the press that the Roosevelt had a problem! Friend and foe alike knew the Roosevelt might have been compromised thus leaving it vulnerable. Few commanders are popular for a reason. He should be busted down to E2 and relegated to peeling potatoes in a storage closet in the bowels of that great ship!
Command knew but they didn't do anything; it's another case of the DoD screwing it's own troops to save itself. The sailors cheered his name on good terms when he walked off the carrier - that in itself says enough about his leadership.
Exactly.
The CO had certainly already gone through channels without result.
He had to publicly shame the Navy into doing something.
Our adversaries do have intelligence gathering capabilities and were certainly already aware that this carrier was not ready to fight.
When this story first broke out, it was stated the Navy Command did nothing but blow him off. That's when he wrote the letter. I now cannot find the story anywhere. Hmmm.........
Then his "boss" flies to the carrier, at the cost of $230,000 of our tax dollars. Runs his mouth. Gets fired. He "resigned" they said.
"Captain Crozier....Clap,Clap.....Clap,Clap,Clap" "Captain Crozier....Clap,Clap.....Clap,Clap,Clap" "Captain Crozier....Clap,Clap.....Clap,Clap,Clap" "Captain Crozier....Clap,Clap.....Clap,Clap,Clap"
You've followed the popular narrative, which is simply filled with things that are not true.
The CO's decision to make the liberty port call in Vietnam is questionable, but left his crew exposed. That's not why he was fired.
He asked for help, via proper channels, and was directed to Guam where, and this is critical, the Navy, was preparing to support the ship. He had asked for help and was in the process of getting it.
Then, he sends the e-mail, unclassified, and it's leaked to his home-town newspaper. This is the key point: his e-mail stated untrue things, discussed classified information, and bypassed his chain of command.
Any one of those three is simply unacceptable in a CO. One of those three should subject him to time in prison. The other two aren't as bad, but are still grounds for removing him from the job. The CARGRU Commander had an office about 30 feet down the passageway from the CO. So, no excuse, none, for cutting the CARGRU out of the communication.
The crew of the ship got the leaked e-mail, and believed their CO was standing up for them when Big Navy had abandoned them.
They, too, got the false narrative. Just like the press.
Big Navy had a relief operation in work, and was responding as fast as they could.
So, sure the sailors gave him a hero's send-off. They thought he was a hero, based on an e-mail that was leaked.
But that e-mail violated laws, was in poor judgement, and looks a lot like political grandstanding. I'm no fan of the Acting SECNAV, who was properly relieved for his behaviour as well, but Captain Crozier should have been relieved of command. I would have no confidence in a commander who leaks information, ignores orders, ignores his chain of command, and distorts the situation for his own personal motives.