# Captain of USN Aircraft carrier begs for help as COVID19 ravages ships company. **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [March 31, 2020, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/captain-of-usn-aircraft-carrier-begs-for-help-as-covid19-ravages-ships-company/850738 "2020-03-31T13:47:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/captain-of-usn-aircraft-carrier-begs-for-help-as-covid19-ravages-ships-company/850738/1 "2020-03-31T13:47:42Z")
Here > **[Exclusive: Captain of aircraft carrier with growing coronavirus outbreak...](https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Exclusive-Captain-of-aircraft-carrier-with-15167883.php)** > > The captain of a nuclear aircraft carrier docked in Guam with more than 100... Did they not hear about the cruise ships? Why did they not cancel the deployment?:eek::smack: Who needs Chinese anti ship BMs when a Chinese virus does just fine. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/captain-of-usn-aircraft-carrier-begs-for-help-as-covid19-ravages-ships-company/850738/2 "2020-03-31T13:50:47Z")
Please give a summary, that paper has an ad-block blocker & a paywall. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/captain-of-usn-aircraft-carrier-begs-for-help-as-covid19-ravages-ships-company/850738/3 "2020-03-31T16:38:09Z")
[NY Times coverage of this issue](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/31/us/politics/coronavirus-aircraft-carrier-theodore-roosevelt.html) is indicating that The USS Theodore Roosevelt’s Captain is asking for more help to combat COVID-19 outbreak. The Carrier is currently docked at Guam. Dozens of sailors have been infected. It looks like the point of virus entry onto the ship may have been a docking in Da Nang, Vietnam 15 days ago. Probably a bad call by the Fleet. CVN-71; “The Big Stick” is ready to sail if needed but this could cease to be the case in the next week or two. Quarters on Navy ships are very tight. The Berthings, (Coops) pack sailors in 3 high in racks (bunks) and 100+ per berthing. You’re on top of each other for meals and a lot of the jobs. You can’t quarantine easily on a working carrier. There is not a lot of available rooms in Guam on base. This was the first US Navy ship to report a COVID-19 outbreak at sea. The TR use to carry over 5600 sailors at sea, I understand they may have reduced the crew size in recent years with more automation, but I don’t know. The Carriers have a pretty good sick bay setup, but they’re not really able to handle 100+ cases of a a serious contagious virus. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/captain-of-usn-aircraft-carrier-begs-for-help-as-covid19-ravages-ships-company/850738/4 "2020-03-31T17:33:48Z")
Wow, hope they come through it OK. When I first thought of places were close quarters would unfortunately mean CV19 might spread unusually quickly, I thought of warships and prisons. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/captain-of-usn-aircraft-carrier-begs-for-help-as-covid19-ravages-ships-company/850738/5 "2020-03-31T17:41:10Z")
There has been [one military death](https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2020/03/30/guard-soldier-becomes-first-service-member-to-die-after-testing-positive-for-covid-19/) so far. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/captain-of-usn-aircraft-carrier-begs-for-help-as-covid19-ravages-ships-company/850738/6 "2020-03-31T17:55:33Z")
The good news, if you can call it that, is that the vast majority of the sailors are younger- it’s pretty unlikely that there’s anyone much over about 50 on board, save the ship’s Captain, the commander of the Carrier Air Wing (both O-6 Captains)and maybe a few particularly crusty Chief Petty Officers, and even then, it’s probably the Master Chiefs or Senior Chiefs that are that old. Most of the sailors are going to be in their twenties, and thirties, with the total skewing younger. So as a result, hopefully it’ll be less dire on board than for an equivalent number of the public chosen at large. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/captain-of-usn-aircraft-carrier-begs-for-help-as-covid19-ravages-ships-company/850738/7 "2020-03-31T20:55:30Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Wow, hope they come through it OK. When I first thought of places were close quarters would unfortunately mean CV19 might spread unusually quickly, I thought of warships and prisons. Did you think any commanding officer would pull [this stupidity](https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/03/17/after-discovering-sailor-coronavirus-us-navy-crowded-dozens-one-room.html?ESRC=dod_200320.nl)? > [@](#): > > **After Discovering a Sailor With Coronavirus, the US Navy Crowded Dozens Into One Room** > > It wasn’t a surprise when the U.S. Navy announced Sunday that the fast-spreading coronavirus had made its way on board one of its ships, infecting a sailor on the USS Boxer, docked in San Diego. > > But what happened next raises questions about how the Navy will respond to the virus within the tight quarters of its seabound vessels. > > On Monday morning, in response to the discovery of the infected sailor, the warship’s leaders ordered dozens of senior enlisted sailors and officers into a cramped room on the ship to brief them on the crisis and proper social distancing, according to a sailor who attended the meeting. If only the Navy had someting similar to [this](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1_Main_Circuit) that could have been used instead to get the word out to the entire crew. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/captain-of-usn-aircraft-carrier-begs-for-help-as-covid19-ravages-ships-company/850738/8 "2020-04-02T22:41:35Z")
Damn, [Captain Brett E. Crozier of the Roosevelt was relieved from command](https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/02/826317152/uss-roosevelt-commander-removed-after-criticizing-handling-of-coronavirus-outbre). Not a good look for the Navy though I understand he apparently went outside the chain of command with his letter. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/captain-of-usn-aircraft-carrier-begs-for-help-as-covid19-ravages-ships-company/850738/9 "2020-04-02T23:08:49Z")
“I lost confidence in his ability,” acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly said of [Capt. Brett Crozier](https://www.public.navy.mil/airfor/cvn71/Pages/COMMANDINGOFFICER.aspx) while briefing reporters late Thursday at the Pentagon on the commander’s dismissal." “Acting” secretary, that is. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/captain-of-usn-aircraft-carrier-begs-for-help-as-covid19-ravages-ships-company/850738/10 "2020-04-02T23:32:31Z")
I’m surprised Vietnam allowed a U.S. naval vessel to dock there. When did this start happening? So what happens when a naval ship docks at a place like that? Refuel? Acquire fresh fresh fruits and vegetables? Are sailors allowed shore leave? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/captain-of-usn-aircraft-carrier-begs-for-help-as-covid19-ravages-ships-company/850738/11 "2020-04-02T23:39:05Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > I’m surprised Vietnam allowed a U.S. naval vessel to dock there. When did this start happening? > > So what happens when a naval ship docks at a place like that? Refuel? Acquire fresh fresh fruits and vegetables? Are sailors allowed shore leave? These port of calls are fairly recent, at least for carriers. 2018 I believe was the first. It is a liberty port, not a supply port. Though I think the Liberty (visits by sailors) is more restrictive than lets say the Philippines, Japan or S. Korea. I did some digging, [The Roosevelt was only the 2nd Carrier visit](https://www.stripes.com/news/pacific/uss-theodore-roosevelt-arrives-in-vietnam-becoming-second-us-carrier-to-visit-since-the-1970s-1.621313). > [@](#): > > The carrier USS Carl Vinson made the first historic visit to Danang in March 2018. I missed this bomb shell. > [@](#): > > Vietnam’s importance as a regional partner became even more relevant last month after Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte moved to terminate his country’s visiting forces agreement with the United States. ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2020, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/captain-of-usn-aircraft-carrier-begs-for-help-as-covid19-ravages-ships-company/850738/12 "2020-04-03T00:10:23Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Damn, [Captain Brett E. Crozier of the Roosevelt was relieved from command](https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/02/826317152/uss-roosevelt-commander-removed-after-criticizing-handling-of-coronavirus-outbre). Not a good look for the Navy though I understand he apparently went outside the chain of command with his letter. Yeah, when I first heard about his letter, I thought, “There is a great commander. He is throwing his career away for his men.” I didn’t expect it to be this fast, though. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2020, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/captain-of-usn-aircraft-carrier-begs-for-help-as-covid19-ravages-ships-company/850738/13 "2020-04-03T00:19:22Z")
I expect there to be an enormous amount of kickback over this firing. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2020, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/captain-of-usn-aircraft-carrier-begs-for-help-as-covid19-ravages-ships-company/850738/14 "2020-04-03T00:24:58Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > I’m surprised Vietnam allowed a U.S. naval vessel to dock there. Vietnam has poor relations with China, which is right on their border. They’ve been looking to improve relations with the United States since the nineties. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2020, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/captain-of-usn-aircraft-carrier-begs-for-help-as-covid19-ravages-ships-company/850738/15 "2020-04-03T07:13:59Z")
A fine officer. Who put the safety of his crew before his own career. > [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Vietnam has poor relations with China, which is right on their border. They’ve been looking to improve relations with the United States since the nineties. Since the 50’s actually, but the US wasn’t interested. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2020, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/captain-of-usn-aircraft-carrier-begs-for-help-as-covid19-ravages-ships-company/850738/16 "2020-04-03T07:23:40Z")
As an aside, shouldn’t the proper people to remove be the CDR of Indo-Pacific Command and the CNO for mind-numbing incompetence. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2020, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/captain-of-usn-aircraft-carrier-begs-for-help-as-covid19-ravages-ships-company/850738/17 "2020-04-03T07:44:09Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > As an aside, shouldn’t the proper people to remove be the CDR of Indo-Pacific Command and the CNO for mind-numbing incompetence. Why stop there? Run it all the way up the chain of command! ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2020, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/captain-of-usn-aircraft-carrier-begs-for-help-as-covid19-ravages-ships-company/850738/18 "2020-04-03T08:04:18Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > “I lost confidence in his ability,” acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly said of [Capt. Brett Crozier](https://www.public.navy.mil/airfor/cvn71/Pages/COMMANDINGOFFICER.aspx) while briefing reporters late Thursday at the Pentagon on the commander’s dismissal." > “Acting” secretary, that is. In other words, shoot the messenger. I think the captain was caught between a rock and a hard place - if he hadn’t gone public with this the incompetents in our current administration would have just let the virus run rampant until the whole ship was sick and they were stacking the dead in the mess freezer. Either way, the captain’s career was over but good on him for doing the right thing. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2020, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/captain-of-usn-aircraft-carrier-begs-for-help-as-covid19-ravages-ships-company/850738/19 "2020-04-03T09:12:49Z")
Yes. I’m sure he knew what he was doing and went ahead anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2020, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/captain-of-usn-aircraft-carrier-begs-for-help-as-covid19-ravages-ships-company/850738/20 "2020-04-03T10:16:30Z")
For those who are not that familiar with the military, when a commanding officer is relieved of command for misconduct or something else negative, the term always used is “lost confidence in ability to command”. For senior enlisted advisors, the expression is “lost confidence in ability to lead”. The worldometers site has their numbers broken down by country/territory and also by two “international conveyances”. On the US site, it’s broken down by state, DC, territory, and “Wuhan Repatriated” (whatever that means) and one of the two “international conveyances” (the _Diamond Princess_ although she’s British-registered). And there have been cases aboard a few other cruise ships. I wonder under what country/countries the worldometers site is tallying the cruise ship numbers, and also where they’re putting the military vessel numbers (so far two, the USS BOXER and the USS THEORODRE ROOSEVELT, and no doubt soon, will include the USNS COMFORT and USNS MERCY); are they listing them by the homeports? As far as I know, the numbers of cases on our military bases overseas is included in the host country numbers. I just sent E-mail to the worldometer asking about that. I’ll post in this thread their response. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/captain-of-usn-aircraft-carrier-begs-for-help-as-covid19-ravages-ships-company/850738.md?page=2)