Navy Capt. Crozier, fired for letter about coronavirus on USS Roosevelt, gets big send-off from sailors

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...lt/2939098001/

WASHINGTON – Videos posted on social media showed a huge send-off for Navy Capt.
Brett Crozier, the commander of an aircraft carrier who was ousted Thursday
after sending a letter pleading with Navy leadership to protect his crew from
the spreading coronavirus.

One video from the Facebook account of Michael Washington shows hundreds of
service members on the hanger deck of the USS Theodore Roosevelt, which is
currently docked in Guam, chanting "Captain Crozier! Captain Crozier!" and
clapping.

Someone in the video says, "and that's how you send off one of the greatest
captains you've ever had," and adding "The GOAT [Greatest Of All Time], the man
for the people."

Crozier was fired just four days after he pleaded for help as the coronavirus
ravaged his crew on the Roosevelt. Crozier had sent an urgent letter to the U.S.
Navy on Sunday, seeking to evacuate and isolate the crew as cases of coronavirus
infection increased on the vessel. The letter, which was published in the San
Francisco Chronicle, had been sent out broadly via email, creating "panic" on
the vessel, according to Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly. Modly said Crozier
had "exercised extremely poor judgment."

But overnight Thursday, videos surfaced on social media showing a raucous
going-away for Crozier and the term "Captain Crozier" started trending on
Twitter as many praised his decision to protect his crew.

A video from Facebook user Taliah Peterkin appears to show Crozier walking down
the gangway of the ship before saluting the ship and waving good-bye.

Farwell Sir it's been a pleasure #WEARETRSTRONG #MYCO #TR
Posted by Michael Washington on Friday, April 3, 2020

So long to our hero Captain Crozier ��❤️
Posted by Taliah Peterkin on Friday, April 3, 2020

In the four-page letter to Navy officials, Crozier had asked for the crew of the
aircraft carrier to be evacuated and for "decisive action" as the coronavirus
spread onboard.

"We are not at war, and therefore cannot allow a single Sailor to perish as a
result of this pandemic unnecessarily," Crozier wrote.

Democrats who lead the House Armed Services committee blasted Modly for firing
Crozier. The lawmakers acknowledged Crozier improperly went outside the chain of
command in releasing his letter, but they called his dismissal an overreaction.

As of Wednesday, about one-quarter of the 4,800 member crew had been tested for
the virus, and 93 had been found to have COVID-19. About 1,000 sailors had been
evacuated from the ship.




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