During his Navy career, Eric Massa allegedly touched at least two men inappropriately and may have exhibited a pattern of putting himself in situations where he would see men naked – particularly younger and lower-ranked men.
These allegations come from general shipboard understandings and conversations, and were relayed to me by shipmates of Eric Massa.
In one instance, Eric Massa was a lieutenant commander and the combat systems officer of the USS Jouett. That made him the third-ranking officer on the boat – behind the captain and the executive officer.
According to another officer on the ship, Massa and a lieutenant were on liberty in the Middle East. Massa had made the motel arrangements and the room turned out to have only one bed. The lieutenant reportedly told other officers on the ship that while they were in the room, Massa came up behind him and started massaging his neck and shoulders.
The lieutenant, shocked by this conduct from a higher-ranking officer, shrugged it off, literally.
In the night, he later told shipmates, he was awakened by Massa’s hands in his shorts. The lieutenant was startled and turned away. Massa rolled over and pretended to be asleep.
