https://www.c7f.navy.mil/Media/News...mander-task-force-70-holds-change-of-command/
Commander, Task Force 70 Holds Change of Command
By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Codie L. Soule, Commander Task Force 70 Public Affairs | Oct. 1, 2019
SOUTH CHINA SEA – Commander, Task Force (CTF) 70 held a change of command ceremony, Sept. 29, in the hangar bay of America’s flagship, the forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76).
Rear Adm. George M. Wikoff assumed command of CTF 70, the U.S. Navy’s largest battle force, from Rear Adm. Karl O. Thomas.
Thomas led CTF 70 through various multinational exercises including Malabar, Keen Sword, Valiant Shield and Talisman Sabre. He worked closely with many U.S. allies, friends and partners in the Indo-Pacific region to increase the U.S. Navy’s interoperability with other nations.
"I’ve had the absolute privilege to work with and lead the greatest group of patriots our Navy and country has to offer, and you should be justifiably proud of the important role you play in our national defense strategy," said Thomas. "Your contributions and professionalism to our friends and allies has vastly enhanced peace and prosperity in the region, and built trust and increased interoperability with our partners."
Wikoff became the 75th commander of Battle Force 7th Fleet, after being the Assistant Director for Global Integration and Current Operations, J3, Joint Staff.
"I want to extend my most sincere thanks to Admiral Thomas for all of his great work over the past 14 months," said Wikoff. "His leadership has strengthened the lethality of our forward-deployed naval forces, and I look forward to continuing the culture of excellence he inspired within the strike group."
Wikoff received his commission through the George Washington University NROTC program and earned a Master of Science in Operational Management from the University of Arkansas.
Thomas’ next assignment is as the Assistant Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Operations, Plans and Strategy in Washington.
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Surprisely, commander of US 7th fleet is changed just after this incident on 25 sep 2019. And he is on helms for only 14months?
He made a rash decision to send a single CVN to provoke PLAN and after get chased out of the water? Maybe Trump is not happy with him and sack him?
The claim thats it was alone and surrounded by 7 Chinese ships came as far as I know from the Vietnamese troll account on Twitter who gets off on the idea of a Chinese American confrontation.
Everyone else but these few propaganda mouthpieces is just speculating which ship belongs to whom and what the situation really was or naively repeating missinformation. Chinese ship patrolling the waters like always and two or three U.S. ship dicking around to disturb regional peace with saber rattling and suggesting attacks on Chinas sovereignty and mostly Chinese free trade routes would be nothing out of the ordinary.
The photo first came out from weibo from a Chinese user. Only these Vietnamese help to bring this new to English Twitter.
From a credible source. The confrontation ends in humiliating withdraw from USS Ronald reegan from the area. The commander himself believe to got the sacking by Trump.