The captain of the USS Theodore Roosevelt, Brett Crozier, was stripped of his duties after his letter about the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation of his vessel.
The letter, according to a Reuters report, described the situation on the nuclear-powered carrier that has about 4,800 persons onboard.
There was an increase in the number of sailors who tested positive for the virus.
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“We are not at war. Sailors do not need to die. If we do not act now, we are failing to properly take care of our most trusted asset – our sailors,” Crozier wrote.
Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly said the ship carried weapons, munitions, expensive aircraft, and a nuclear power plant.
The USS Theodore Roosevelt was in the Pacific when the Navy reported its first COVID-19 case a week ago. The carrier has since pulled into port in Guam, a U.S. island territory in the western Pacific.
US Navy officials said there are other sailors onboard a number of ships who have tested positive, including an amphibious assault ship at port in San Diego.
So far, 93 COVID-19 cases have been discovered among the Roosevelt.
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“The plan at this time is to remove as many people off the Teddy Roosevelt as we can, understanding that we have to leave a certain amount of folks on-board to perform normal watch-standing duties that keep the ship running,” Rear Admiral John Menoni, commander for the Marianas region, told reporters in Guam on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Crozier has gained the respect of his crew.
A video posted in social media showed Crozier leaving the ship while his men chanted “Captain Crozier.”
He turned around and gave his men a snappy salute.
