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>> “Fitz should have ensured a full nautical mile of separation no matter what the other captain said. and notwithstanding any other circumstances.” <<
Assuming that anyone was awake on the bridge.
I don’t believe that would be a viable assumption, considering the circumstances.
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Trust me, at least six persons from a LT to a seaman were on the bridge, all alert, all mistaken.
I made a snarky comment earlier about “everybody being asleep’ and a number of Freepers jumped on me and explained the full intricacies of US Naval Watch protocol and their constant vigilance to prevent all accidents, day or night.
And yet ... a container ship snuck up on a US destroyer and rammed it. I think a lot of sailors were not doing their duty that night. Commander most of all.