Coast Guard Relieves Commanding Officer of USCGC Tampa

Two months after the cutter USCGC Tampa returned from her latest deployment in the Caribbean, the Coast Guard has relieved her commanding officer amidst an ongoing investigation. 

The U.S. Coast Guard said Tuesday that it has temporarily relieved Cmdr. Walter Krolman, Tampa's commanding officer. It has only been a few months since Tampa’s crew returned to the U.S. and offloaded about 3,750 pounds of cocaine and marijuana - worth a combined $12 million - at a pier in Port Everglades.

Vice Adm. Nathan Moore, commander, Coast Guard Atlantic Area, announced that he has relieved Krolman due to a loss of confidence in "his ability to execute the responsibilities of a commanding officer." The service said that a thorough investigation is ongoing.  

Commander Krolman assumed command of USCGC Tampa in June 2023 after three years at the Coast Guard Personnel Service Center in Washington, D.C. He had eight years of sea service as a cutterman, including service as XO aboard USCGC Vigorous, a Reliance-class WMEC. His personal accomplishments included two Meritorious Service Medals, five commendation medals, the Coast Guard Achievement Medal, two masters' degrees, and an engineering degree with high honors from USCGA. 

Cmdr. Todd Batten has temporarily assumed command of Tampa. The Coast Guard emphasized that the cutter remains fully operational with "no degradation to mission success or mission capabilities."

USCGC Tampa a medium-endurance cutter (WMEC) built in 1984 at Tacoma Boatbuilding. Now 41 years old, having outlived the yard that built her, she is due for eventual replacement by the long-delayed Offshore Patrol Cutter program.