Cmdr. Matthew McCormick. US Navy Photo

The Navy on Wednesday relieved the commanding officer of the electronic attack squadrons aboard aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75), the service announced.

A Navy official told USNI News that Cmdr. Matthew McCormick, the CO of the “Rooks” of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 137, was relieved due to inappropriate behavior that is still under investigation.

The Carrier Air Wing 1 commander relieved McCormick “due to loss of confidence in his ability to command,” according to a Wednesday news release from the Navy.

The squadron’s executive officer, Cmdr. Scott Maynes, will fill in as the acting CO in the interim.

“McCormick has been temporarily reassigned to Electronic Attack Wing Pacific (VAQWINGPAC) at Naval Station Whidbey Island,” the Navy said in the news release.
“There is no impact to the squadron’s mission or schedule due to this relief.”

The squadron is deployed aboard Harry S. Truman, which is currently operating in the Ionian Sea and has been operating throughout the Mediterranean since December.

An E/A-18G Growler, attached to the ‘Rooks’ of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 137, lands on the flight deck of USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) on May 30, 2022. US Navy Photo

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in late December ordered the carrier to stay in the Mediterranean, rather than head to U.S. Central Command, as Russia massed troops along its border with Ukraine. Amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Austin in March extended Truman‘s deployment. A defense official told USNI News at the time that the carrier could remain in the region until August.

McCormick had been the CO of the squadron since September of 2021. The squadron, which flies the EA-18G Growlers, is based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash.

Before becoming the CO of the squadron McCormick was its executive officer, according to his Navy biography.

In addition to flying the Growlers, McCormick previously flew the EA-6B Prowler.