“I’m not in favor of commanders refusing to execute missions because they don’t believe their people are as ready as they should be. It’s not a risk-free profession. “
The order was correctly given and executed.
Of note: How long do you have to ride with ding bat LtJG before you know she can’t drive?
No competent captain turns over a $2bil warship to somebody they haven’t seen operate it...several times and in all conditions. It’s a very complex system with hundreds of variables, not for the simple or inattentive.
And he knew those on watch that night were simple and inattentive. And he knew there were SOME on the ship who were qualified and competent. Those who take their job as serious as it is. They were not on watch that night.
Even if he and the XO were the only competent persons to man the bridge. they don’t call it “Port and Starboard” for nothing!
And that’s wholly the captain’s fault.
Even after a month.
“Even if he and the XO were the only competent persons to man the bridge. they don’t call it “Port and Starboard” for nothing!”
Well, I think you’ve arrived at the core of the matter. If the safety of the ship required the CO and XO to stand OOD on port and starboard, then that’s what they should have done.
And if they needed to send the BMOW to go down and drag cooks and yeomen out of their racks to stand lookout, well, when I was one of Remington’s Raiders I stood a lot of deck and engineering watches.