By . Associated Press . A Navy investigation finds the ailing skipper of a San Diego-based Navy cruiser retreated to his cabin for several weeks in the middle of a deployment, leaving the 330-member crew leaderless. The probe also revealed that the skipper of the USS Cowpens, Captain Gregory W. Gombert, was having an improper and 'unduly familiar' relationship with the cruiser's acting executive officer, U-T San Diego reported Wednesday. The Navy removed Gombert and the ship's command master chief, Master Chief Petty Officer Gabriel J. Keeton, from their positions on June 10. The reason given at the time was poor ship condition. Removed: Captain Gregory Gombert was relieved from his position in June after an investigation found he left his crew leaderless and had an improper relationship with a female crew member . Improper: Destiny Savage was often in her captain's cabin with the door closed where she cooked him meals and left her clothing and toiletries . Gombert's medical problems were not disclosed, but investigators said they should not have left him unable to lead. They also shouldn't have required him to retreat to his cabin from early January through March, officials said. 'The violations revealed by the investigation, especially the blatant abdication of command responsibility on the part of the (commanding officer), are among the most egregious I have encountered in my 32-year career,' wrote Vice Admiral Tom Copeman, the three-star admiral in charge of the Navy's Pacific surface ships. At a July 25 administrative hearing, Gombert was found guilty of several counts of disobeying an order and conduct unbecoming an officer. So was the former acting executive officer, whom the newspaper identified in a Navy photo from March as Lt. Cmdr. Destiny Savage. Leaderless: Captain Gregory Gombert left 330 crew on the USS Cowpens without a leader when he took to his cabin from early January to March . Neither Gombert nor Savage could immediately be reached for comment Thursday. Keeton was found guilty of two counts of disobeying an order, apparently because he failed to notify anyone outside the ship of the troubles on board — despite telling crew members that he would. The investigation found the skipper's unacceptable absence from the bridge predated his illness. Of the 48 'special evolutions' that the ship performed — tricky maneuvers such as getting close to a refueling ship — Gombert was on the bridge for just 27, according to U-T San Diego. His health-related seclusion began in mid-January, when he came down with an illness that required bed rest for 10 to 20 days, according to the investigation. Disgraced: Captain Gregory Gombert, commanding officer of Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Cowpens (CG 63), Lt. Cmdr. Destiny Savage, Cowpens' executive officer, Cowpens' Command Master Chief Gabriel Keeton . Poor condition: Gabriel Keeton was also dismissed from his position as command master chief . Gombert told his superiors that he questioned his ability to lead on two of those days and later said he considered asking for convalescent time, but decided against it. As for Gombert's relationship with Savage, the newspaper reported that starting in December, the crew noticed the two officers spent evenings alone in Gombert's cabin, with the door closed. Savage frequently was seen making dinner for Gombert in his cabin and keeping her toiletries in his private bathroom there, according to investigators. Also, the investigation said, the two went away for days together during port visits.
A Navy investigation has found Captain Gregory Gombert retreated to his cabin from January to March during a deployment .
He was suffering an undisclosed ailment that should not have left him unable to lead, found the investigation .
It also found Gombert an an improper relationship with acting executive officer Destiny Savage .
Gombert, Savage and Master Chief Petty Officer Gabriel Keeton were all removed from their positions in June .
By . Associated Press . A Navy investigation finds the ailing skipper of a San Diego-based Navy cruiser retreated to his cabin for several weeks in the middle of a deployment, leaving the 330-member crew leaderless. The probe also revealed that the skipper of the USS Cowpens, Captain Gregory W. Gombert, was having an improper and 'unduly familiar' relationship with the cruiser's acting executive officer, U-T San Diego reported Wednesday. The Navy removed Gombert and the ship's command master chief, Master Chief Petty Officer Gabriel J. Keeton, from their positions on June 10. The reason given at the time was poor ship condition. Removed: Captain Gregory Gombert was relieved from his position in June after an investigation found he left his crew leaderless and had an improper relationship with a female crew member . Improper: Destiny Savage was often in her captain's cabin with the door closed where she cooked him meals and left her clothing and toiletries . Gombert's medical problems were not disclosed, but investigators said they should not have left him unable to lead. They also shouldn't have required him to retreat to his cabin from early January through March, officials said. 'The violations revealed by the investigation, especially the blatant abdication of command responsibility on the part of the (commanding officer), are among the most egregious I have encountered in my 32-year career,' wrote Vice Admiral Tom Copeman, the three-star admiral in charge of the Navy's Pacific surface ships. At a July 25 administrative hearing, Gombert was found guilty of several counts of disobeying an order and conduct unbecoming an officer. So was the former acting executive officer, whom the newspaper identified in a Navy photo from March as Lt. Cmdr. Destiny Savage. Leaderless: Captain Gregory Gombert left 330 crew on the USS Cowpens without a leader when he took to his cabin from early January to March . Neither Gombert nor Savage could immediately be reached for comment Thursday. Keeton was found guilty of two counts of disobeying an order, apparently because he failed to notify anyone outside the ship of the troubles on board — despite telling crew members that he would. The investigation found the skipper's unacceptable absence from the bridge predated his illness. Of the 48 'special evolutions' that the ship performed — tricky maneuvers such as getting close to a refueling ship — Gombert was on the bridge for just 27, according to U-T San Diego. His health-related seclusion began in mid-January, when he came down with an illness that required bed rest for 10 to 20 days, according to the investigation. Disgraced: Captain Gregory Gombert, commanding officer of Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Cowpens (CG 63), Lt. Cmdr. Destiny Savage, Cowpens' executive officer, Cowpens' Command Master Chief Gabriel Keeton . Poor condition: Gabriel Keeton was also dismissed from his position as command master chief . Gombert told his superiors that he questioned his ability to lead on two of those days and later said he considered asking for convalescent time, but decided against it. As for Gombert's relationship with Savage, the newspaper reported that starting in December, the crew noticed the two officers spent evenings alone in Gombert's cabin, with the door closed. Savage frequently was seen making dinner for Gombert in his cabin and keeping her toiletries in his private bathroom there, according to investigators. Also, the investigation said, the two went away for days together during port visits.
By . Associated Press . A Navy investigation finds cruiser retreated to his cabin for several weeks improper and 'unduly familiar' relationship with Master Chief Petty Officer Gabriel J. Keeton, from their positions on June 10. The reason given Improper: Destiny Savage was often in her have left him unable to lead. They also shouldn't former acting executive officer, whom the early January to March . Neither Gombert nor that he would. The investigation found the Disgraced: Captain Gregory Gombert, commanding