WASHINGTON — Videos are being posted to social media showing the crew of the USS Theodore Roosevelt cheering for their former captain as he left the aircraft carrier.
Captain Brett Crozier was relieved of duty on Thursday after releasing a memo where he requested Navy leaders to remove thousands of sailors on board the Roosevelt after at least 70 tested positive for COVID-19.
Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly cited that Crozier exhibited "extremely poor judgment" during the crisis. However, from the videos circulating around different social outlets, some sailors would disagree.
One video on Twitter that has garnered thousands of retweets shows a number of sailors cheering, "Captain Crozier!"
Another video posted to Facebook shows a huge crowd of sailors applauding loudly as the person recording says, "Now that's how send off one of the greatest captains you ever had."
There is no proof at this time that Crozier leaked the letter he sent to Navy leadership to the press, but the memo was sent to people outside his chain of command.
The Roosevelt is docked in Guam and the Navy has stated that as many as 3,000 sailors would be removed from the ship on Friday.
