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Navy officials had already begun a study, which they were soon forced to broaden. Word of the Trerice death had produced a tidal wave of tales of naval abuse. Ex-Ranger Crewman Neil Hodgson, 18, of Detroit, claimed that a beating in the ship's CCU left him with a ruptured eardrum. Fellow Veteran Steve Richards, 27, also of Detroit, said he received a 13-stitch leg wound there. The two joined another pair of Ranger sailors in suing the Navy for brutality and violation of their rights. A third suit may be filed by the Rev. Robert Mercer and his wife of Detroit. The body of Mercer's stepson Bernal Johnson, 21, was found in a Philippine river on April 24, two days after he escaped from a CCU at the Subic Bay Naval Base. An autopsy showed "possible marks of violence" around the neck. Mercer suspects naval foul play: "My son was a good swimmer, unless he was pushed into the water unconscious."
The Navy has virtually completed the initial investigation into Trerice's death, and, says Admiral Donald C. Davis, commander in chief, U.S. Navy, Pacific, "it has found no evidence that the cause was from other than heatstroke." Even if it is vindicated or charges are dropped, the Navy can ill afford scandal at a time when recruitment is lagging. "These boys were volunteers," insists Bill Trerice. "We don't even treat people in prisons that way."