Is joke yes. Helps cut through the water but sure causes big time damage to US destroyers. Maybe our destroyers should try getting out of the way. Hmmmm. Go aground or get rammed.
Both of these episodes reflect badly on the state of training of our navy and the merchant trade. most especially this last one. The port side aft point of impact may indicate that the merchantman was the burdened vessel ( if McCain was sailing a steady course). But as has been noted in these forums many times there is a responsibility on the part of both vessels to take effective action to avoid collision.
In fact the term COlission means both are, in proportion, responsible if there is an unforntunate meeting. If a vessel hits a fixed object, that is an allision.