If it was a LT then they were either the Operations or Weapons Department heads. Generally the Chief Engineer doesn't stand deck watches although he would be qualified to.
The LTJGs would likely have stood 150-200 watches on the bridge as Junior Officer of the Deck (JOOD), as hands on training to become OOD.
I will note again that it is over 35 years since I last had the deck and I am doing this from memory.
One thing is bothering me here. Why weren't those in CIC screaming at the bridge about an impending collision? I was CIC Officer as a JG. There is one item drilled into EVERYONE who used the surface search radar, CBDR (Constant Bearing, Decreasing Range). If a radar contact is CBDR then there will be a collision unless someone reduces speed and/or changes course.
The Nautical Rules determine which ship is privileged and which ship is burdened. The privileged ship is required to maintain course and speed while the burdened ship must maneuver. This is important as you can't have both ships maneuvering and changing speed. However, if two ships get close enough that a collision is imminent then both ships are 'in extremis' and required to act to avoid a collision.
In this case the Fitzgerald was the burdened ship.
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Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
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LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)
33 years for me since my OOD days. I qualified as an Ensign during a 6 month STANAVFORLANT cruise through Europe. And IIRC, qualifying as an OOD and getting SWO qualified was a task for every junior officer...even the Engineers. You are correct though that the CHENG did not stand bridge watches as he was basically on 24 he watch over the propulsion plant. I was in Weapons Dept as the Gunnery Officer when I made SWO, then was promoted to Navigating Officer as a LTJG. On my ship, ALL CBDR contacts we had to notify the skipper inside a certain range. Being that a tanker is so huge, I’m surprised they weren’t following the ‘3-2-1’ rule we applied to aircraft carriers LOL.
Thank you, FRiend.