Roughly 90 sailors from USS Kearsarge returned to Naval Station Norfolk in early September and found their cars gone. The vehicles had been towed from a fenced lot at Pier 14 while the crew was underway. The towing was connected to a Morale, Welfare and Recreation concert featuring Teddy Swims and Miranda Lambert, held on base August 29. Whether sailors received adequate warning before they departed is now the central dispute.
Three Hours in Line, $180 Per Car
Sailors were bused to the impound lot after returning, and photographs showed them waiting in line for more than three hours.
The impound fee ran $180 per vehicle. Sailors were not charged at pickup but were told to save their receipts.
Who absorbed that cost remains unresolved. Per WHRO, a spouse reported hearing that the ship’s captain paying too much in fees, but that account was not independently confirmed.
What the Base Says
Naval Station Norfolk says it coordinated with ship security, marked restricted areas, and placed physical barriers before the event.
Naval Station Norfolk spokesperson Kelly Wirfel addressed the incident in a statement to WHRO: “Naval Station Norfolk personnel also discussed the parking restrictions with USS Kearsarge security personnel and specifically identified the areas where vehicles could not be parked. Barriers were placed in the affected parking area in advance of the event in the restricted parking as well.”
A second statement, cited by Military.com, said advance notification identifying affected parking areas was provided before USS Kearsarge departed. That notice identified the affected parking areas and the dates they needed to remain clear. The base also noted that other ships along the waterfront experienced no similar issues clearing the area.
What Sailors’ Families Say
At least one spouse says the sailors had no idea their cars were at risk before the ship left port.
A spouse told WHRO her husband called from the ship to report that all vehicles in the area had been towed. She said sailors were not properly informed before they deployed.
Before the ship departed, that information apparently did not reach everyone it needed to. The base’s coordination claim stands directly at odds with what at least some crew members and families experienced.
What Remains Unanswered
The gap between what the base says it communicated and what sailors say they received has not been publicly explained.
Whether USS Kearsarge leadership received the advance notification and relayed it through command channels before departure has not been publicly confirmed. No formal resolution to the dispute has been announced.
