The commanding officer of US Navy destroyer USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98) has been relieved of command following an investigation into his intentions to create a plaque with a seized AK-47 rifle.
Cmdr. Frank Azzarello was relieved just days ahead of a scheduled change of command ceremony over his attempt to make a plaque from a weapon captured by the destroyer in a successful interdiction of Iranian weapons in the Middle East in 2019.
Rear Adm. Ryan Scholl, commander, Carrier Strike Group EIGHT (CSG-8) relieved Cmdr. Frank Azzarello on January 27, the US Navy confirmed a day later.
Azzarello had served as the commanding officer of Forrest Sherman since Sept. 2019 and has been temporarily reassigned to the staff of Naval Surface Force Atlantic.
On November 25, 2019, USS Forest Sherman intercepted a dhow in the Arabian Sea and discovered advanced Iranian weapons and Iranian weapon components. The dhow was carrying 21 “Dhelavieh” anti-tank guided missiles and five near-fully assembled Iranian designed and manufactured 358 surface-to-air missiles.
The cache also included advanced missile components for both land-attack cruise missiles and anti-ship cruise missiles, and components for unmanned aerial systems.
As noted by USNI News, who first reported on the sacking of Cmdr. Azzarello, US troops are subject to specific rules in claiming so-called war trophies. While claiming a seized weapon as a trophy is not illegal, it must be carried out within the guidelines of federal law and the US defense ministry.
