Roughly 90 sailors assigned to the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) reported that their vehicles were towed from a designated parking area at Naval Station Norfolk while the crew was at sea for about 10 days, Navy officials confirmed.
What happened
Sailors said the cars were removed on Aug. 29, the night a Morale, Welfare and Recreation event featuring performers Teddy Swims and Miranda Lambert took place on the base. The crew was conducting shipboard training and working up for a scheduled deployment, with periods in and out of Norfolk for training with Marine units, according to Navy statements included in reporting on the incident.
"We are aware that vehicles belonging to USS Kearsarge Sailors were towed from a designated parking area at Naval Station Norfolk for execution of the Operation MWR concert,"
The base spokesperson’s statement, released to media, attributed the towing to MWR event execution. Reporting indicates the vehicles were placed in an impound lot and that sailors waited at the lot for more than three hours to recover their cars. Those sailors were later told they did not have to pay to retrieve their vehicles.
Ship and personnel context
The USS Kearsarge is a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship designed to transport and deploy elements of a Marine Expeditionary Unit. The ship has been conducting work-up activities ahead of deployment and has carried out training with Marine units stationed in North Carolina and elsewhere.
According to reporting, the sailings and training cycles led to the ship being at sea for roughly 10 days during which some crew members were away from the base and not present when towing occurred.
Local impact and concerns
For sailors who rely on on-base parking while assigned to ships that rotate between underway periods and time in port, the incident raised questions about notification, parking management and coordination between base operations and event organizers. The Naval Station Norfolk statement placed responsibility for the towing with MWR operations for the concert, and it noted the actions were related to executing that event.
- Date vehicles towed: Aug. 29 (reported)
- Number affected: Approximately 90 sailors
- Event: MWR-sponsored concert featuring Teddy Swims and Miranda Lambert
- Recovery: Cars placed in an impound lot; sailors waited more than three hours and were told no fees were required
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Ship | USS Kearsarge (LHD-3), Wasp-class |
| Approx. number of vehicles | 90 |
| Towing date | Aug. 29 (during MWR concert) |
| Returned to base | Early September (sailors returned from sea) |
Naval Station Norfolk is the world’s largest naval station and routinely hosts public and Morale, Welfare and Recreation events that require logistical and security planning, including temporary traffic and parking controls. The incident highlights the operational complexities when large events are held on a base that is also an active hub for fleet movements.
Officials with Naval Station Norfolk provided the statement confirming awareness of the towed vehicles and attributing the action to execution of the Operation MWR concert. The base has not released additional details on notification procedures, whether advance warnings were issued, or whether any administrative reviews will follow.
Personnel affected by the towing described delays in retrieving vehicles at the impound lot and concern about coordination when sailors are underway for multi-day periods. The Naval Station Norfolk spokesperson said sailors did not have to pay to recover their vehicles.
Local military families and personnel who park on base often rely on consistent policies when ships depart for multi-day operations. The base’s response and any subsequent administrative steps will be closely watched by the Norfolk naval community as MWR and base leadership balance morale events with the logistical needs of sailors and Marines assigned to ships that regularly go to sea.
