Acting US Navy Secretary resigns over mishandling of COVID-19 outbreak on aircraft carrier

acting secretary of US Navy Thomas Modly on April 7 resigned from his position after facing criticism for mishandling coronavirus outbreak on USS odore Roosevelt aircraft carrier. anuncement was made by Defense Secretary Mark Esper, who in a statement said, Modly resigned on his own accord, putting Navy and Sailors above self so that USS odore Roosevelt, and Navy as an institution, can move forward. statement was published on official website of US Department of Defense.

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Modly's resignation came five days after he fired USS odore Roosevelt's captain, Brett Crozier, who had written a letter alleging that Pentagon was t paying adequate attention to situation on Roosevelt. letter was leaked to media following which Crozier was fired with Modly accusing him of betrayal and calling him 'too naive or too stupid'. Modly became second Acting Navy Secretary in four months to resign from position. 

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Current Army Undersecretary Jim McPherson was appointed as Modly's replacement for time being as anunced by Mark Esper in his statement. statement read, "I briefed President Trump after my conversation with Secretary Modly. With approval of President, I am appointing current Army Undersecretary Jim McPherson as acting Secretary of Navy. Jim is a retired Admiral with a distinguished 26-year naval career, serving ashore, afloat, and overseas during his time in uniform. Jim will serve as acting Secretary of Navy until a permanent Navy Secretary is confirmed."

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letter

letter by Crozier was leaked and published in San Francisco Chronicle following which Esper and Modly called it a deliberate action and that it violated Pentagon's chain of command. In letter, Crozier had described dire situation on Roosevelt and wrote that it was t a war zone and sailors do t need to die. Following Crozier's firing, US President Donald Trump had said that he will look into matter but added that letter should t have been sent to many people. Roosevelt is currently docking in Guam where more than 1,000 sailors who had tested negative are staying in hotels. As per reports, over 155 crew members have tested positive for coronavirus. 

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