Capt. Erica Hoffmann has been fired as commanding officer of the cruiser USS Philippine Sea following a command investigation, a spokeswoman for Naval Surface Force Atlantic said on Monday.
Lt Cmdr. Richlyn Ivey could not say on Monday what allegations the investigation looked into.
“The investigation is complete but it is still in the review process,” Ivey told Task & Purpose.
On May 7, the Philippine Sea dumped 4,000 gallons of diesel fuel in Virginia’s York River. The cruiser was pierside at Naval Weapons Station in Yorktown at the time, according to WAVY.
Hoffman was relieved on Monday by Rear Adm. Richard Cheeseman, commander of Carrier Strike Group 2, a Navy news release says.
She will be reassigned to the commander of 4th Fleet’s staff, the news release says.
Originally from New York, Hoffman graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1996 and became a surface warfare officer, according to her Navy biography. She completed nuclear training and went on to serve on the aircraft carrier USS George Washington, first as a reactor mechanical division officer and then as the main propulsion assistant.
Hoffman later served as the executive officer aboard the frigate USS Samuel B. Roberts before taking command of the Philippine Sea in April 2019.