One of the Navy s famed Blue Angels has been relieved of duty for an alleged inappropriate relationship with a female member of the demonstration team, which finished its last three shows of the season with just five jets.

The announcement was made by Capt. Tyson Dunkelberger, a spokesman for the team based at Naval Air Station Pensacola. The five-plane demonstration employed a diamond formation without the slot position, but Dunkelberger was quick to point out that the loss of Blue Angel No. 4 in the show did not necessarily mean that the pilot who has flown in that position during this season was involved in the inappropriate relationship.

The slot, or Number 4, position was flown by Marine Major Clint Harris. By Nov. 17, however, the Blue Angels website had a new face in the Number 4 position, Lt. Mark Swinger, who already been announced as a member of the 2009 team. Major Harris photo was no longer on the site.

If the reason for the dismissal holds up, it would be the second time that s occurred.

In 2000, the Marine Corps officer flying Blue Angel No. 2 was removed from the team for conducting an inappropriate relationship with the team s female public affairs officer. Dunkelberger, who refused to identify either team member, said a military administrative hearing will be held to determine further disciplinary actions, which could include removal from the military.

The Blues suffered another tragedy last year when LCdr. Kevin Davis, Blue Angel No. 6, flew his F/A-18 into the ground and was killed during a show near Beaufort, S.C. In each of these cases a pilot who had been on the team the year prior was pulled out of a fleet squadron and returned to the Blue Angels so that the team could fly the balance of the season with a full six-jet complement.

Dunkelberger stated that there weren t enough shows left to justify that sort of effort in the current case. After the San Antonio shows the weekend following the announcement, the Blue Angels were to perform at the Kennedy Space Center and then close their season with two shows at their home base in Pensacola, Florida.

Major Harris is a native of Senath, Mo., graduated from Arkansas State University and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant through the Marine Corps Officer Candidate School (OCS) at Marine Corps Base (MCB) Quantico, Va.

He earned his wings of gold in April 2000 and in May 2000, reported to Strike Fighter Squadron 106 (VFA-106) at NAS Oceana, Va. for initial training in the F/A-18 Hornet. During this phase of training, he earned the Top Hook Award for excellence in aircraft carrier landings aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69).

He has accumulated more than 2,000 tactical flight hours and 200 carrier arrested landings. His awards include the Individual Air Medal with combat V and Bronze Device, seven Strike/Flight awards, the Navy Commendation Medal, and various personal and unit awards.

Harris joined the Blue Angels in September 2006.

Navy sources said the woman involved was a team administrative officer. Harris is married and has a family, the sources said.

This from a discussion thread at the Blue Angel's hometown paper, The Pensacola News Journal: It was two officers...#4 Major Clint Harris and Lt. Gretchen Doan. They are both officers...they both know better. Clint flew back Sunday in his jet, minus the #4. Didn't fly in the airshow or practice. He's married with kids. She's not. Bottom line is these are two adults who made a huge mistake/decision, broke a major rule, ruined their careers, humiliated their families, got kicked off the team...they will have this hanging over their heads and following them around forever. Boss did the right thing..."

The allegations in this post are unconfirmed but the tenor of it makes me think this person knows what he or she is talking about, including the use of the term "Boss" to refer to the Blue Angel's commanding officer. And if the IDs are correct, then in fact (and in spite of Capt. Dunkelberger's insistence to the contrary) it was the slot pilot who's been removed, which makes things much easier in terms of working the five-plane show in that all the remaining pilots are flying in the same positions they've flown all year.

And making Major Harris fly back from his final show without the number on his jet his something right out of King Arthur's Court or a Hollywood scriptwriter's fantasy. (Remember the opening of the TV series "Branded" back in the day?) Who said the spirit of Naval Aviation is dead?