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XO of destroyer Chafee sacked

SAN DIEGO — The executive officer of the destroyer Chafee was fired on Nov. 20, the same day he was supposed to move up and become that ship’s skipper, Navy officials said Wednesday.

Cmdr. Larry Gonzales was detached “for cause” after Capt. Richard Clemmons, who commands Hawaii-based Destroyer Squadron 31, “lost confidence in Commander Gonzales’ ability to lead the command,” said Agnes Tauyan, a spokeswoman for Navy Region Hawaii.

The decision “was based on findings from a DesRon 31 investigation,” Tauyan said, declining to specify what findings or events led to his firing. She said the commodore’s decision was not based on any operational, safety or security issues involving Gonzales or the ship.

Gonzales, who has served as Chafee’s second-in-command since January, had been selected to command the same ship through the Navy’s “fleet up” program. On Nov. 5, he was relieved as the ship’s XO on a normal rotation ahead of the change-of-command ceremony, scheduled for Nov. 20.

The ship’s incumbent commanding officer, Cmdr. Heedong Choi, will remain in command until early spring, when his replacement is expected to arrive, Tauyan said.

Gonzales was temporarily reassigned to a shore command until administrative actions are completed, Tauyan said.

The ship, based at Pearl Harbor, completed a seven-month deployment to the western Pacific in August.

Gonzales graduated from the Naval Academy in 1992 and has served on several ships, including as engineering officer aboard the frigate Vandegrift and as XO aboard the cruiser Normandy. He served as a flag aide with 2nd Fleet in Norfolk, Va., before reporting to Chafee.