USS Theodore Roosevelt. | U.S. Navy via Getty Images
The aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt got underway Wednesday after nearly two months sidelined in Guam battling an outbreak of the coronavirus, the Navy announced.
The ship was set to leave Guam for the first time since March 27 with a scaled-back crew of about 3,000 sailors, leaving roughly 1,800 crew on shore who are still in quarantine, the ship’s commanding officer Capt. Carlos Sardiello told The Associated Press. The group left on shore includes at least 13 sailors who had recovered from the virus and tested positive again in recent days.
The Roosevelt left Naval Base Guam and entered the Philippine Sea to conduct carrier qualification flights for the embarked air wing, according to the Navy.
“It feels great to be back at sea,” said Rear Adm. Stu Baker, commander of Carrier Strike Group 9. “Getting Theodore Roosevelt and Carrier Air Wing 11 one step closer to returning to their mission in the Indo-Pacific is a great achievement for the crew.”
While completing their deployment, the crew will execute Covid-19 mitigation measures including wearing masks, sanitizing shared spaces and maintaining social distance, according to the Navy.
The ship’s former commanding officer, Capt. Brett Crozier, was fired after sending a memo to Navy leaders pleading for help as the virus spread through the ship. Then-acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly removed Crozier from command for his actions, then resigned after blasting Crozier in a speech to the ship’s crew.
Navy leaders recommended reinstating Crozier after an initial review, then were directed to conduct a deeper investigation into how the matter was handled. That investigation is due next Wednesday.
