CDR Sal, as you note, when your office / workplace is in an environment that can kill you, routine and the resultant complacency can be disrupted without warning. How you respond is a product of training and discipline, which seems to have been quite good considering the horrific circumstances of darkness, flooding and being woken from sleep. BZ to the crew's response. HOW this occurred, a modern warship, fully manned, colliding with a huge, visible contact, remains a mystery to me. If anyone who can shed light on this, I would genuinely appreciate it.
She and the TAO were having a spat, so they were not speaking with each other...
Besides, the TAO was busy doing evals; not caring a nit that her ship was smack in the middle of a traffic separation zone doing pirrouettes conned by an entirely incompetent, lost OOD.
CIC was being used as a gym...and bathroom.
The CO was in his cabin asleep.
But, as they say...
The fish rots from head. With this kind of "Command Climate" aboard the fleet flagship, is it any wonder?
It is a wonder that in that sick of a command environment, the below-decks sailors were disciplined enough to save themselves after the collision. Speaks well to their basic training.
Trip down memory lane. I was in SeaCadets in the late 70's.
When we went to the old San Diego Navy boot camp for our summer training, they made us fight real fires, do damage control, stand watches, look at pictures of sailors that suffered 3rd degree burns over 100% of their bodies, etc.
It was a harsh lesson for a bunch of high school kids but it served me well on my floats even though I was a Marine.
As part of my training as a newly hatched Ensign, in addition to SWOS Basic, I went to what I *think* was called DC Basic, and then firefighting school. Both of the latter were wakeup calls. In the Norfolk firefighting school they put officers in as the #1 hose man so we would know exactly what we would be sending a sailor in to do. And then Seaman Murphy showed up. I was using the old twin agent unit on a continuously pumping oil fire, and suddenly no PKP. Zero team communications back then, so all I had was foam and a prayer. We got the fire put out, but it was pretty sketchy for a while.
I had a similar experience at SeaCadets boot in Newport. I particularly remember the damage control training in the flooding compartment. Overall it was an exceptional experience.
I rolled out of FNDF less than 2 years before this went down - I likely crossed paths with some of those unfortunate FTZ sailors. Aboard CVN LAST SHIP every bridge watch team had at least one aviator - I now suspect that was by design as I personally witnessed (and participated in) several occasions where the pickle suit wearers had to kick some ass of disengaged watchstanders who were not focused on their duties. Complacency kills - my biggest pet peeve was when things got quiet on the bridge at night and folks started congregating around the coffee pot I'd find something to get their attention refocused outside the ship looking for things that could hurt us. That OOD and TAO should have been professionally crucified as public warnings that such levels of incompetence and unprofessionalism have no business in the United States Navy.
I was told I was the youngest OOD/UW on a Nimitz class to that time in the early 90s. Probably not true, but I was proud, and sure as heck took the job seriously.
Unfortunately, I had the same sort of experience onboard an auxiliary ship in the 1970s. After dealing with just a very few individuals, the remainder of those I stood watch with changed tack. I couldn’t fix every watch, but I could fix *my* watch.
Years ago just out of curiosity I watched the interview with BT 1 Andrew Gallagher concerning his actions aboard the Belknap during her collision with the JFK. His training, his knowledge and devotion to duty were instrumental in saving his ship even while he was on fire.
As always, our Sailors rise above the system that let them down so badly. BZ to the heroes of that day, and RIP to the Sailors and Patriots we lost on FITZGERALD that terrible night.
God rest the souls of those who perished, grant grace to those who will forever carry the memory of trying to save them, and forgive those whose negligence caused their deaths. Because we surely find that hard.
Yes! BZ means “Above and Beyond” Job Description! Yesterday, at VAMC Washington D.C. I wrote a BZ for VA Travel Clerk Ms Tynish P. She stopped the payment of Uber to a man, showing sporting a white beard on dark skin with the name of Abdouin (?)
Yes, so what if I didn’t arrive home until about 5:30 PM, taken there by very skillful Uber Tammi, woman of color!
I was trained as F-4 Radar Intercepts Officer (RIO), 1979 and 1980, U.S. Marine Corps , Beaufort S.C., “Back Seat” to keep my eyes, ears and my Brain focused on what I saw happening 360 degrees around me! When Ms Tammi got us onto New York Avenue at W and Montana and South Dakota, then further East on Hwy 50, I turned my head to the left. To Ms Tammi I said. “Wow, how did you learn to drive like that?” Ms Tammi smiled at me!
Waiting for Ms Tammi to arrive, I’m the Naval Officer, on the deck of VAMC 50 Irving St NW Washington D.C.
So what if I had to wait an hour and one half (90 minutes), what I observed and what I reported first to VA Security, then to VA Executive Management matters!
And yes, Ms TP, VA Travel Clerk, alone in her space at 3:30 PM, was not going to permit shenanigans happening ant VAMC. Ms T.P. earned a Bravo Zulu!
Executive Manager Mr Kenny said he’d inform Chief Wilson of Patient Advocacy to give a “Shout Out” via secure computer today, Friday morning!
What happened that day when one Naval Ship collided with a Maritime Ship, did stir my passion! Just like the day the Russian Kursk lay with men still breathing!
Oh, that incident kept me going for about fifteen (15) years until under CDR Ha’s Command at Naval Museum. Washington D.C., I learned the “Truth”!
Oh yes, indeed my Estate Attorney Mike Lehr of Sins & Campbell, Annapolis, Maryland, appropriately documented what had to be said.
Back to 5 February 2026, so what if it takes me five (5) years to earn a Juris Doctorate in LAW!
Shipmates, you can be absolutely sure that I will run circles around stationary human “Public Leaning Posts” (PLP’s) defending incompetent, in my case, Professors.
Exactly why we need to “Read” the results of this Maritime Disaster Report.
Our men and women, yes?, of the USS Fitzgerald sacrificed their lives, health and mental health to save their ship, and the Hunan beings carried by that ship.
Super Bowl Half-Time Show must mention this! So please CDR Salamander, give a shout out now, through your “Back doors” to honor our men and women in uniform! Thank you very much! Respectfully yours, Nurse Jane
First thing that came to mind? What were the watch cycles like that sailors sleep through the chaos of their berthing being ripped open in the violence and noise of a collision.
“American Justice Swann”, Lieutenant Commander, USN, retired, also known as “Nurse Jane”! That’s a “Copyright” boys & girls! 6 February 2026!
Benghazi Embassy oh, yes!
Let me say I was “There”! via Chief Warrant Officer Dursun Ir’Ibas, Turkish Air Force, everlasting be his memory!
The American Calvary never came!
Thirteen hours, Hillary Clinton allowed those men to die and I cried!
My communications with Dursun went “Dark”! He was flying over the American section of Niagara Falls.
Dursun and I didn’t give up! Dursun flew over Pakistan, sending me photos! I was inside the Meridian Center, The Hospitality Information Service (THIS), the Vice President’s Guest House, the Drpartment of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Dermatology Clinic, to be exact, about 2006 - 2014, ask CDR Michael Moran, USN, Psychologist,, retired. Dr. Moran took care of me 2009-2025 from Charolette Hall, MD then Fort Belvoir, VA.
Once Dr Moran banged his office wall, 2012. “Thst wasn’t supposed to happen”! “Well, it did and now what do we do?”
Off to Fort Meade, Maryland I went to debrief with the SCIF, 2016 - 2020… and I had the Chief sign my “Book”!
It was my Official Log Book, taking the Monkey off my back!
Shipmates, we are taught and we carry on! Semper Fei and God Bless America! Nurse Jane
My daughter, now Chief Quartermaster, believe did boot with Sailors from Fitzgerald. She didn’t know any of those lost.
I visited the locations of 3 of the 13 lost in Afghanistan on 10/3/2024 at Arlington. Didn’t know one of the 7 lost here was located also in Section 60 not far from them near the street, under a tree.
If I walked onto the bridge or into CIC would I still find charts, maneuvering boards, parallels, dividers, sexton (bridge) or is everything digital now?
What struck me was that in all those paras, only #23, mentions "senior sailors". Yes, I understand that berthing spaces are segregated by rank, but no mention of some junior NCO arriving at the top of the ladder to lend a bit of order? No mention of any intercom commands of "General Quarters" ? para 36 screams loudly, by making NO mention of any orders by anyone in the aftermath. I assume there was a couple of petty officers and a Chief who had oversight of that berthing space? no mention of any attempt of a headcount?
It's as though there were no de jure leaders at all on that ship and only a couple of de facto ones.
While we can't take pride in the performance of the Fitz OOD/TAO/CO we can take pride in the sailors' efforts to save shipmates. And, we can now take a great deal of pride in Royce Williams being approved for the MOH for his Korean War exploits of 1 v Many. Well deserved but LONG overdue.
Neither the McCain nor the Fitzgerald incidents should ever have occurred.
Sailors should be decorated for fighting the enemy not for making up for the deficiencies of their commanding officers.
Lord, have mercy...
CDR Sal, as you note, when your office / workplace is in an environment that can kill you, routine and the resultant complacency can be disrupted without warning. How you respond is a product of training and discipline, which seems to have been quite good considering the horrific circumstances of darkness, flooding and being woken from sleep. BZ to the crew's response. HOW this occurred, a modern warship, fully manned, colliding with a huge, visible contact, remains a mystery to me. If anyone who can shed light on this, I would genuinely appreciate it.
How many were looking at cellphones? Sleeping on watch ?
I lost count how many times I had to wake the fire watch up, guards asleep with weapons in hand. etc.
If they don't have confidence in themselves they don't have confidence in the mission.
Complacency kills.
The OOD was lost as a microwaved goose...
She and the TAO were having a spat, so they were not speaking with each other...
Besides, the TAO was busy doing evals; not caring a nit that her ship was smack in the middle of a traffic separation zone doing pirrouettes conned by an entirely incompetent, lost OOD.
CIC was being used as a gym...and bathroom.
The CO was in his cabin asleep.
But, as they say...
The fish rots from head. With this kind of "Command Climate" aboard the fleet flagship, is it any wonder?
https://www.amazon.com/Fat-Leonard-Bribed-Bilked-Seduced/dp/1797177621
It is a wonder that in that sick of a command environment, the below-decks sailors were disciplined enough to save themselves after the collision. Speaks well to their basic training.
Trip down memory lane. I was in SeaCadets in the late 70's.
When we went to the old San Diego Navy boot camp for our summer training, they made us fight real fires, do damage control, stand watches, look at pictures of sailors that suffered 3rd degree burns over 100% of their bodies, etc.
It was a harsh lesson for a bunch of high school kids but it served me well on my floats even though I was a Marine.
As part of my training as a newly hatched Ensign, in addition to SWOS Basic, I went to what I *think* was called DC Basic, and then firefighting school. Both of the latter were wakeup calls. In the Norfolk firefighting school they put officers in as the #1 hose man so we would know exactly what we would be sending a sailor in to do. And then Seaman Murphy showed up. I was using the old twin agent unit on a continuously pumping oil fire, and suddenly no PKP. Zero team communications back then, so all I had was foam and a prayer. We got the fire put out, but it was pretty sketchy for a while.
At Repair Party Leader school on Treasure Island, I was really impressed with the training. You just can't simulate fire or flooding.
I had a similar experience at SeaCadets boot in Newport. I particularly remember the damage control training in the flooding compartment. Overall it was an exceptional experience.
Ah, yes. The flooding compartment and needing to get head-to-butt to make it thru the hatch scuttle. Newport water temperature in February.
I rolled out of FNDF less than 2 years before this went down - I likely crossed paths with some of those unfortunate FTZ sailors. Aboard CVN LAST SHIP every bridge watch team had at least one aviator - I now suspect that was by design as I personally witnessed (and participated in) several occasions where the pickle suit wearers had to kick some ass of disengaged watchstanders who were not focused on their duties. Complacency kills - my biggest pet peeve was when things got quiet on the bridge at night and folks started congregating around the coffee pot I'd find something to get their attention refocused outside the ship looking for things that could hurt us. That OOD and TAO should have been professionally crucified as public warnings that such levels of incompetence and unprofessionalism have no business in the United States Navy.
I was told I was the youngest OOD/UW on a Nimitz class to that time in the early 90s. Probably not true, but I was proud, and sure as heck took the job seriously.
Unfortunately, I had the same sort of experience onboard an auxiliary ship in the 1970s. After dealing with just a very few individuals, the remainder of those I stood watch with changed tack. I couldn’t fix every watch, but I could fix *my* watch.
Years ago just out of curiosity I watched the interview with BT 1 Andrew Gallagher concerning his actions aboard the Belknap during her collision with the JFK. His training, his knowledge and devotion to duty were instrumental in saving his ship even while he was on fire.
When it's least expected your elected.
Had a shipmate who kept his rack in the JFK oil lab. He was asleep when the Belknap punched through his space. Literally missed him by inches.
My brother was in BELKNAP. Some burns from firefighting and heaving hot ammo over the side, but came out OK.
As always, our Sailors rise above the system that let them down so badly. BZ to the heroes of that day, and RIP to the Sailors and Patriots we lost on FITZGERALD that terrible night.
"Fitz" seems to be an unlucky name for a ship.
There’s always a couple with terrible luck, GREENVILLE comes to mind as well.
That’s GREENEVILLE. Stupid autocorrect.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ehime_Maru_and_USS_Greeneville_collision
God rest the souls of those who perished, grant grace to those who will forever carry the memory of trying to save them, and forgive those whose negligence caused their deaths. Because we surely find that hard.
Fullbore to the nth degree. Amazing bravery and providing assistance to shipmates in a time of extreme duress. Thanks for sharing Sal!
Yes! BZ means “Above and Beyond” Job Description! Yesterday, at VAMC Washington D.C. I wrote a BZ for VA Travel Clerk Ms Tynish P. She stopped the payment of Uber to a man, showing sporting a white beard on dark skin with the name of Abdouin (?)
Yes, so what if I didn’t arrive home until about 5:30 PM, taken there by very skillful Uber Tammi, woman of color!
I was trained as F-4 Radar Intercepts Officer (RIO), 1979 and 1980, U.S. Marine Corps , Beaufort S.C., “Back Seat” to keep my eyes, ears and my Brain focused on what I saw happening 360 degrees around me! When Ms Tammi got us onto New York Avenue at W and Montana and South Dakota, then further East on Hwy 50, I turned my head to the left. To Ms Tammi I said. “Wow, how did you learn to drive like that?” Ms Tammi smiled at me!
Waiting for Ms Tammi to arrive, I’m the Naval Officer, on the deck of VAMC 50 Irving St NW Washington D.C.
So what if I had to wait an hour and one half (90 minutes), what I observed and what I reported first to VA Security, then to VA Executive Management matters!
And yes, Ms TP, VA Travel Clerk, alone in her space at 3:30 PM, was not going to permit shenanigans happening ant VAMC. Ms T.P. earned a Bravo Zulu!
Executive Manager Mr Kenny said he’d inform Chief Wilson of Patient Advocacy to give a “Shout Out” via secure computer today, Friday morning!
What happened that day when one Naval Ship collided with a Maritime Ship, did stir my passion! Just like the day the Russian Kursk lay with men still breathing!
Oh, that incident kept me going for about fifteen (15) years until under CDR Ha’s Command at Naval Museum. Washington D.C., I learned the “Truth”!
Oh yes, indeed my Estate Attorney Mike Lehr of Sins & Campbell, Annapolis, Maryland, appropriately documented what had to be said.
Back to 5 February 2026, so what if it takes me five (5) years to earn a Juris Doctorate in LAW!
Shipmates, you can be absolutely sure that I will run circles around stationary human “Public Leaning Posts” (PLP’s) defending incompetent, in my case, Professors.
Exactly why we need to “Read” the results of this Maritime Disaster Report.
Our men and women, yes?, of the USS Fitzgerald sacrificed their lives, health and mental health to save their ship, and the Hunan beings carried by that ship.
Super Bowl Half-Time Show must mention this! So please CDR Salamander, give a shout out now, through your “Back doors” to honor our men and women in uniform! Thank you very much! Respectfully yours, Nurse Jane
First thing that came to mind? What were the watch cycles like that sailors sleep through the chaos of their berthing being ripped open in the violence and noise of a collision.
Same. I remember one cruise as a JO where I was near zombie tired most days
Nurse Jane
just now
“American Justice Swann”, Lieutenant Commander, USN, retired, also known as “Nurse Jane”! That’s a “Copyright” boys & girls! 6 February 2026!
Benghazi Embassy oh, yes!
Let me say I was “There”! via Chief Warrant Officer Dursun Ir’Ibas, Turkish Air Force, everlasting be his memory!
The American Calvary never came!
Thirteen hours, Hillary Clinton allowed those men to die and I cried!
My communications with Dursun went “Dark”! He was flying over the American section of Niagara Falls.
Dursun and I didn’t give up! Dursun flew over Pakistan, sending me photos! I was inside the Meridian Center, The Hospitality Information Service (THIS), the Vice President’s Guest House, the Drpartment of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Dermatology Clinic, to be exact, about 2006 - 2014, ask CDR Michael Moran, USN, Psychologist,, retired. Dr. Moran took care of me 2009-2025 from Charolette Hall, MD then Fort Belvoir, VA.
Once Dr Moran banged his office wall, 2012. “Thst wasn’t supposed to happen”! “Well, it did and now what do we do?”
Off to Fort Meade, Maryland I went to debrief with the SCIF, 2016 - 2020… and I had the Chief sign my “Book”!
It was my Official Log Book, taking the Monkey off my back!
Shipmates, we are taught and we carry on! Semper Fei and God Bless America! Nurse Jane
The Navy.
The only branch where all the support guys are combat guys.
Reading stories of naval battle really shows its ALL or Nothing. Win or die.
Hardcore.
The old saying of "Soldiers die by the hundreds, while Sailors die by the thousands" is a truth.
My daughter, now Chief Quartermaster, believe did boot with Sailors from Fitzgerald. She didn’t know any of those lost.
I visited the locations of 3 of the 13 lost in Afghanistan on 10/3/2024 at Arlington. Didn’t know one of the 7 lost here was located also in Section 60 not far from them near the street, under a tree.
If I walked onto the bridge or into CIC would I still find charts, maneuvering boards, parallels, dividers, sexton (bridge) or is everything digital now?
Curious. Thanks.
I was going to answer and then realized 30 years ago really isn't as recent as it seems!
No more charts. Sad. You can really appreciate CBDR with a piece of paper.
What struck me was that in all those paras, only #23, mentions "senior sailors". Yes, I understand that berthing spaces are segregated by rank, but no mention of some junior NCO arriving at the top of the ladder to lend a bit of order? No mention of any intercom commands of "General Quarters" ? para 36 screams loudly, by making NO mention of any orders by anyone in the aftermath. I assume there was a couple of petty officers and a Chief who had oversight of that berthing space? no mention of any attempt of a headcount?
It's as though there were no de jure leaders at all on that ship and only a couple of de facto ones.
While we can't take pride in the performance of the Fitz OOD/TAO/CO we can take pride in the sailors' efforts to save shipmates. And, we can now take a great deal of pride in Royce Williams being approved for the MOH for his Korean War exploits of 1 v Many. Well deserved but LONG overdue.
I remember these court martials, the convening authority was at my last Navy command at Naval District Washington.
Me and my Sailors did the security for the proceedings.