By Chicago Times Magazine –

January 21, 2025

Captain Dave Snowden, commanding officer of the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), was relieved of command on February 20th due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command, the U.S. Navy announced.  Rear Adm. Sean Bailey, commander of Carrier Strike Group 8, made the decision. Captain Snowden had been in command of the aircraft carrier since December 2023. He will be temporarily reassigned to Naval Air Forces Atlantic.  

Snowden’s relief comes after the Truman was involved in a collision with the merchant vessel Besiktas-M on February 12th. The incident occurred in the Mediterranean Sea near Port Said, Egypt.  The U.S. Navy is conducting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the collision.   

According to the U.S. Navy, Captain Christopher Hill, commanding officer of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), will serve as the interim commanding officer of the Truman.  The Eisenhower recently returned from a nine-month deployment to the U.S. Central Command and U.S. European Command areas of operation in July 2024 and is currently undergoing scheduled maintenance at Norfolk Naval Shipyard.  

Feature image: USS Harry S Truman | United States Navy