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Skipper of historic ship Constitution fired

The captain of the USS Constitution was relieved of command Thursday morning.

Cmdr. Thomas A. Graves, 20-year veteran of the Navy was removed from command of the Navy’s floating historical relic. A specific reason for the relief was not provided by the Navy, attributing the action to an “administrative matter.”

Cmdr. Jeff Davis, a Navy spokesman at the Pentagon, said, “There is not any disciplinary action that accompanies this.”

Graves has been temporarily reassigned to Surface Warfare Officers School, in Newport, R.I.

Vice Adm. Mark Fitzgerald, director of the Navy Staff, relieved Graves “due to a loss of trust and confidence in his ability to command.” Because of Constitution’s unique nature as historic ship, the chain of command for the Boston-based ship goes right to the top echelon of the Navy.

Graves was replaced by Cmdr. William A. Bullard III, also a surface warfare officer. Now serving at SWOS, his last assignment to a ship was aboard the destroyer Momsen.

Graves was to have a change of command in July, after two years aboard Constitution. Bullard was already his designated replacement, Davis said.