USS Tortuga's top 2 officers relieved for $2.5M in damage to ship

28 minutes ago

By Ali Rockett

(Newport News, Va.) Daily Press (TNS)

Published: December 17, 2014

(Tribune News Service) — The first- and second-in-command of the dock landing ship USS Tortuga were relieved of their duties Tuesday after causing more than $2.5 million in damages to their vessel, the Navy said.

Cmdr. Thomas Goudreau and executive officer Cmdr. John Fleming were found to have violated two articles of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, failure to obey an order of regulation and hazarding a vessel, during non-judicial punishment proceedings, according to a statement from Naval Surface Forces Atlantic.

Around 7:30 a.m. Oct. 6, the Norfolk, Va.-based Tortuga ran into and dislodged the Thimble Shoals buoy while en route to an anchorage off the Virginia coast, according to the statement.

The ship, homeported at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek, was repaired at National Steel and Shipbuilding Company on Dec. 11.

The statement said the officers were relieved "due to loss of confidence in their ability to safely operate and navigate the ship and their credibility to lead the crew."

They have been temporarily assigned to the commander of Naval Surfaces Forces Atlantic.

Cmdr. Jeff Baker and Lt. Cmdr. Mario Freeman have been identified as prospective replacements, the statement said.

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