Miramar Base Commander Reassigned : Navy: Sources say highly decorated officer was having an affair with woman in legal department at the Naval

Capt. Larry (Hoss) Pearson, the highly decorated commanding officer of Miramar Naval Air Station--the home of the Navy’s Top Gun pilot school--was reprimanded and relieved of his command Friday on charges of fraternization, Navy officials said.

Navy officials would not elaborate on the exact nature of the fraternization but sources said Pearson was having an affair with a woman who was in charge of the legal department at Miramar.

The relationship between Pearson, a married Vietnam War hero who has two children, and the attorney, Lt. Janet McCully, was discovered earlier this month by her husband, a source said.

The Navy has had strict rules for more than 200 years prohibiting close personal relationships--fraternization--between personnel of different ranks to avoid a conflict in military decision-making.

Vice Adm. Edwin Kohn, commander of the Pacific Fleet’s Naval Air Force, elected to handle the matter in separate closed-door administrative sessions Friday with Pearson and McCully, said Cmdr. Sheila Graham, spokeswoman for Kohn.

During the hearing, Pearson received a letter of censure, was fined $3,000 pay over the next two months, and was reassigned to serve on Kohn’s staff at North Island Naval Air Station, Graham said. Pearson will retire from the Navy shortly--as he had planned before disclosure of his involvement with McCully, said Navy spokesman Senior Chief Petty Officer Bob Howard.

The 46-year-old Pearson, who joined the Navy 25 years ago, was slated to leave Miramar in August. Before the McCully incident, sources said he had planned to assume duties at another high-level Navy job, with a seagoing staff overseeing several units and planning operations.

Pearson became Miramar’s commanding officer in July, 1989.

A renowned pilot, Pearson has commanded three squadrons: VF-154 fighter squadron; the Blue Angels, a daredevil flight demonstration team, and the VX-4, a test and evaluation squadron for fighter jets. Miramar was Pearson’s fourth command.

His career included several combat tours in Vietnam, where he won nine Strike Flight Air medals and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry.

McCully, who joined the Navy six years ago, was fined $1,500 in pay over the next two months, relieved of her duties and reassigned April 18 to the Navy legal offices at the 32nd Street Naval Station.

She declined comment.