Documents Confirm Navy’s Refusal to Reinstate Miramar Commander

Documents released Tuesday confirm that the Navy’s top leaders in the Pentagon turned down recommendations from the two highest-ranking admirals in the Pacific Fleet and refused to reinstate the commander of Miramar Naval Air Station, where a government investigation revealed parts procurement abuses.

The report of the investigation, conducted by the Navy during a three-week period ending June 16, also shows that the admiral who conducted the probe recommended the reinstatement of all three officers who were fired by Secretary of Defense Caspar W. Weinberger over the allegations of their role in the overpricing of spare parts.

The documents released by the Navy, and obtained through the offices of Rep. Jim Bates (D-San Diego), show how the investigation moved through the chain of command as the Navy reviewed how it paid $630 each for two ashtrays; $400 for each of 17 wrench sockets, and $2,410 for a ground lock for an F-14 Tomcat fighter jet.

Initially, disclosure of the purchases prompted Weinberger to fire Rear Adm. Thomas J. Cassidy Jr., commander of the Pacific early warning fighter wing; Capt. Gary E. Hakanson, commander at Miramar, and Cmdr. Jerry L. Fronabarger, the base supply officer.

However, on July 9 Navy Secretary John Lehman and Adm. James D. Watkins, chief of naval operations, reinstated Cassidy, who has since retired, but left untouched the punishment of Hakanson and Fronabarger.

The Navy documents released Tuesday confirm earlier reports that both Adm. Sylvester Foley Jr., commander in chief of the Pacific Fleet, and Vice Adm. Crawford Easterling, head of the fleet’s air arm, who has since retired, recommended the reinstatement of both Cassidy and Hakanson.

In doing so, the two admirals endorsed most of the findings of Rear Adm. John R. Batzler, who headed the investigation. Batzler recommended reinstatement for all three officers involved. Foley and Easterling, however, rejected Fronabarger’s reinstatement.

“Capt. Hakanson was commanding officer . . . when the socket wrench and connector in question were purchased, but was not aware of their procurement until these occurrences came to public knowledge following the congressional visit to NAS Miramar on 23 May 1985. Further, he was not aware of the purchase discrepancies on . . . ashtrays or elevator locks until that time,” reads a part of Batzler’s report.

However, the documents also show that Rear Adm. Jerry Tuttle, inspector general of the Navy, who reviewed Batzler’s report, was highly critical of both Hakanson and Fronabarger.

”. . . the report cites clear and convincing evidence of poor management in the supply department, inordinate delays in implementation of proper purchasing practices . . . all of which warrant meaningful action with respect to both the supply officer and commanding officer,” Tuttle’s report concludes.