The two senior officers of a San Diego-based Navy warship were fired Thursday “due to a loss of confidence in their ability to command,” Navy officials said.
Commander Richard J. Zamberlan, captain of the USS Montgomery, and Commander Phillip Lundberg, executive officer, were relieved of their duties by Capt. Marc Crawford, commander of the Navy‘s Surface Division Eleven.
A statement from the Navy didn’t detail the reason why both veteran Navy officers were removed from the command. But, according to the U.S. Naval Institute, it was linked to the handling of a sexual harassment investigation.
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Commander Zamberlan, a U.S. Naval Academy graduate, previously commanded the USS Squall and USS Kansas City. Commander Lundberg had served as executive officer of the USS Omaha. Both men will be reassigned to Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet.
The Navy said Commander Dustin Lonero of the USS Coronado will be the ship’s new commanding officer until a permanent replacement is named.