Submarine Commander Booted



USS Pittsburgh (SSN-720)

(Groton, Connecticut) On August 3, 2012, Cmdr. Michael P. Ward II became the commanding officer of the USS Pittsburgh, relieving Cmdr. Michael K. Savageaux.

On August 10, 2012, Cmdr. Michael P. Ward II was relieved of his command "due to lack of confidence in Ward's ability to command based upon allegations of personal misconduct on the part of Ward." Ward has been accused of engaging in an affair with a 23-year-old Virginia woman and faking his own death as a means of ending it.

The woman said she met Ward, 43, on a dating Website in October 2011. She said he told her he worked in "special ops." She said Ward, who is married with children, told her he was separated. She said he impregnated her and, in an effort to end the relationship, faked his death in an email communication in July.[…]

The Virginia woman, who works in the banking industry, asked not to be identified because she does not want to jeopardize her career.

"I don't want revenge here," the woman said in a phone interview Sunday. "I want everyone to know the truth about Michael. He does not need to be commanding a submarine. He's a deceitful man."

The woman said she has been in contact with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and with the master chief of the USS Pittsburgh. She provided The Day with copies of text messages and emails from Ward.

"I want you, but I don't know how to make this all perfect," says one of the texts. Another says, "I love you and I always will."

The woman said Ward sent her emails using the name Tony Moore. On July 6, she received an email from his address purporting to be from a man named Bob who worked with Ward.

"He asked me to contact you if this ever happened," the email says. "I am extremely sorry to tell you that he is gone. We tried everything we could to save him. I cannot say more. I am sorry it has to be this way."

The email goes on to say, "He loved you very much," and that Bob had something Ward wanted to give to the woman.

The woman said on July 9, she drove with her family members to Ward's house in Burke, Va., to pay her respects and learned from the new owner that Ward was alive and had moved to Connecticut to take command of a submarine.

She said she became ill, was hospitalized, and learned she was pregnant. She said she has since lost the baby.

Cmdr. Michael Savageaux has returned to command the USS Pittsburgh.