15 Sailors From Cruiser Vincennes Disciplined for Drug Offenses

Fifteen sailors assigned to the guided missile cruiser Vincennes, which last July mistakenly shot down a civilian Iranian jetliner carrying 292 persons, are being disciplined for possession or use of drugs, the Navy has announced.

Insisting that there is “no indication” that any of the sailors netted in the investigation were using drugs when the jetliner was shot down, the Navy has touted the bust a victory for its “Zero Tolerance” drug program.

The Navy also insists that none of the sailors being punished could have influenced the decision to fire at the jetliner.

“None of them were in a decision-making position or involved with the decision” to shoot down the Iranian airliner, said Cmdr. David Dillon, a public affairs officer for Pacific Fleet Surface Force headquarters in Coronado.

Low-Ranking Crewmen

Because none of the sailors being disciplined was above the rank of petty officer 2nd class, it would have been impossible for any of them to have influenced the decision of Vincennes skipper Will Rogers III to shoot down the plane, Dillon said.

Dillon said most of the sailors involved in the drug charges were on board the day of the shooting. Several of the 15 crewman who were cited tested positive for methamphetamines in April during random drug testing, he said.

“From that, other people were found out,” Dillon said. “There was also a separate Navy Investigative Service investigation going on at the same time.”

Those sailors being disciplined for possession of drugs were found with LSD, Dillon said, adding that NIS officials found LSD in one crewman’s pants pocket.

Some To Be Discharged

Twelve of the sailors, who face non-judicial punishment, include two petty officers 3rd class, three seamen, five seamen apprentices and two seamen recruits. Six of those them are being processed for administrative discharge, and six have been given warnings.

The three remaining sailors, who are awaiting proceedings that could lead to court-martials, include two petty officers 2nd class and one petty officer 3rd class.

Rogers is scheduled to be relieved of his command at 10 a.m. today by Capt. Robert B. Lynch during a change-of-command ceremony aboard the Vincennes, which has a crew of 384 sailors. Rogers’ will become commander of the Pacific Fleet Tactical Training Group on Point Loma, a shore-based training command.