WASHINGTON — The Navy will conduct a wider investigation of circumstances surrounding the spread of the coronavirus aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt.
This move effectively delays a decision on whether to reinstate the ship’s captain, who was fired after pleading for more urgent protection of his crew.
The investigation was announced Wednesday by James E. McPherson, the acting Navy secretary.
He said in a brief written statement that an initial inquiry was insufficient and that he had “unanswered questions ... that can only be answered by a deeper review.”
"Therefore, I am directing Adm. Gilday to conduct a follow-on command investigation. This investigation will build on the good work of the initial inquiry to provide a more fulsome understanding of the sequence of events, actions, and decisions of the chain of command surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt," McPherson says.
