'Shocked' carrier crew now led by former XO

PORTSMOUTH

Sailors aboard the aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman are still struggling to come to terms with the sudden death of their commanding officer, but the crew has resolved to move forward, the ship's new skipper said Wednesday.

Speaking at Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, where the Truman is undergoing repairs, Capt. Craig Clapperton, the ship's former executive officer, told reporters that he has temporarily assumed command.

Capt. Tushar Tembe, who'd been the top officer aboard the Norfolk-based Truman since August, died Tuesday at age 49.

In a statement issued Wednesday, the Navy confirmed his death, saying he collapsed around 10 a.m. while departing the carrier. The Truman's medical response team provided emergency care until Tembe was taken to the nearby Bon Secours Maryview Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, the statement said.

Clapperton said that, although Tembe took over as commanding officer only three months ago, he'd already formed an unusually close bond with his crew. He described Tembe as an exceptionally strong leader and motivator who went to great lengths to connect with his sailors and understand their challenges.

"He earned their trust and their confidence," Clapperton said as he struggled to contain his emotions. He added that many on the ship regard Tembe as the best commanding officer they've ever had.

The Truman's command master chief, Loran Bather, called Tembe "a sailor's commanding officer."

"I can tell you the crew is shocked," he said.

Clapperton said the cause of Tembe's death still has not been determined, and that he had no known medical problems. "I wish we knew," Clapperton said. "His family wishes we knew."

He said he saw Tembe shortly before his death and that he seemed well. Tembe had completed a fitness test earlier that morning, but several hours had passed before he collapsed pierside, moments after stepping off the ship.

Clapperton said he learned of Tembe's death around 11:30 a.m. and informed the Truman's crew around 1:15. "I told them we wouldn't quit. We'd move forward, and that's what we'd have to do to honor his memory."

Clapperton, a naval aviator who has been the Truman's second-in-command since September 2010, said he doubts he'll be named as Tembe's permanent replacement, as the typical career track includes a tour as commanding officer of a smaller ship before taking the helm of a carrier.

He said he'll remain in command "until the admirals decide what to do."

Tembe lived in Virginia Beach and is survived by his wife, Marianne, and their two sons.

Born in Bombay, India, he immigrated to the United States as a child and grew up in New York City. Also a pilot, he'd been in the Navy for roughly three decades. Before the Truman, he'd served as executive officer of the carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower and as commanding officer of Strike Fighter Squadron 87, based in Virginia Beach, and the amphibious transport dock Nashville. He also spent time as a flight instructor and test pilot.

Clapperton called Tembe's accomplishments "extraordinary."

"He very much lived the American dream," Clapperton said. "He was the best the Navy has to offer."

Plans for a memorial service have not been finalized, the Navy said.

The Truman is scheduled to remain in the yard for maintenance through the spring and isn't expected to deploy for more than a year.

Corinne Reilly, (757) 446-2949, corinne.reilly@pilotonline.com