The commander of a Hawaii-based guided-missile destroyer was removed from her job, the Navy announced on Wednesday.
“The commanding officer of USS Hopper (DDG-70), Cmdr. Kathryn J. Dawley was relieved of her duties on 06 April 2021 due to a loss of confidence in her leadership,” reads a release from the service.
A Navy official told USNI News there was no misconduct associated with Dawley’s removal.
The deputy commander of Destroyer Squadron 31, Capt. Don Rauch, has taken command of Hopper until a new replacement commander can be found, the release said.
Dawley had been in command of the ship for a little less than a year before being removed from the position. She enlisted in the Navy in 1997 and commissioned in 2003 after graduating from Old Dominion University.
The ship is in the midst of a modernization period after leaving drydock last year. Hopper is currently pier-side in Hawaii testing and reactivating systems ahead of sea trials and returning to the fleet.
The following is the complete statement from the Navy.
PEARL HARBOR – The commanding officer of USS Hopper (DDG 70), Cmdr. Kathryn J. Dawley was relieved of her duties on 06 April 2021 due to a loss of confidence in her leadership. Capt. Don Rauch, CDS 31 Deputy Commander, has temporarily assumed command of USS Hopper until a permanent relief can be identified. USS Hopper is an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer based in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
