Sailors assigned to the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt gave a heartfelt thanks to Marines and other personnel that have been providing them with essential support due to the outbreak of COVID-19 among those onboard.
The entire 4,800-person crew have now been tested for the presence of the coronavirus, with only ten still remaining in processing at the time of writing this article. Thus far, 840 sailors have tested positive for the virus, though many of those who tested positive have not demonstrated serious symptoms. One sailor, however, lost his life to complications associated with coronavirus infection. As many as 88 of the other infected sailors have already fully recovered.
The vessel and its crew remain in Guam, as the Navy takes the necessary steps to isolate and treat those in need, which is a massive undertaking. The Roosevelt carries more manpower and firepower than some entire nations can stand up, making it a veritable floating military installation.
In order to help support the Roosevelt’s needs, the Marine Corps deployed Marines from the 3rd Law Enforcement Battalion, III Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, to support the sailors and the effort to treat them. It wasn’t long before the Roosevelt Sailors began writing notes of thanks to the Marines supporting them.
“My Marines started making sure that all the sailors here receive everything that they need,” Capt. Vicente Huerta said in a video posted by the Navy’s Commander Task Force 75 Facebook page. “And as the sailors started seeing that, we just started getting flooded with a bunch of letters, them showing their appreciation. Quotes that they had given to us. … It just meant a lot to us.”
At one point, the sailors being quarantined in hotel rooms coordinated a group cheer for those supporting them, appearing on balconies and in windows around the hotel.
“They all came out on their balconies and just started cheering loudly,” Huerta said. “I started getting goosebumps and I was like, OK, this is a different type of deployment.”
Messages from Sailors of aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71)
It's the little things….U.S. Marines with 3rd Law Enforcement Battalion, III Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, maintain local hotels in support of Sailors with aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). Theodore Roosevelt is currently docked at Naval Base Guam where Sailors from the ship are practicing social distancing and following other guidelines from the CDC, U.S. Navy and the Governor of Guam, as part of COVID-19 mitigation efforts during a scheduled deployment to the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Staff Sgt. Jordan E. Gilbert)U.S. 7th Fleet U.S. Pacific Fleet U.S. Navy US Naval Base Guam U.S. Marine Corps 3rd Marine Logistics Group Office of the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday#inthistogether #trstrong #marines #usnavy #usmc #bluegreen
Posted by CTF 75 on Tuesday, April 21, 2020
The Roosevelt has been mentioned in the press a great deal lately, in large part due to the drama associated with its former commander, Captain Brett Crozier being relieved of command over his communications in the early days of the outbreak onboard the vessel. In the aftermath of his departure, then-Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly issued a fiery rebuke of the Captain’s decisions, and the nature of his remarks ultimately resulted in him also having to tender his resignation.
The Marine Corps is also assisting the Navy’s hospital ship efforts to support civilian hospitals in hard-hit areas like New York City. Last week, Marines from Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment made headlines by sprinting life-saving oxygen tanks hundreds of meters down the pier to help save the lives of COVID-19 patients stuck in traffic with their oxygen levels running out.
