What happens when a commander loses a ship IRL?

[Gerron Vek]

To those who are more savy than I when it comes to the RL military. What is the procedure a Captain would go through should he lose a Navy ship under his command?

[VADM pRett]

I wasn't in the Navy, but I suspect there'd be a board of inquiry and investigation into what caused the loss.

[Cleo Mavendorf]

Exactly 1 US Ship Captain in history has ever been court martialed for losing a ship in combat...Capt Macviegh of the USS Indianapolis in WW2. The US Navy took the unprecidented stepof calling the enemy sub commander to testify...and then instructed the jury to ignore his testimony that even if the Indianapolis had been zigzagging as required by regs...it would not have saved the ship. Basically Cpat Macviegh was sacrificed as a scapgoat to prevent too many potentially embarrassing questions being asked of the navy at a time when the war was all but won...and hundreds of sailors died as a result of the fleet commands involved not knowing the ship was even missing.

[Morgan Shackelford]

ThomasMarik wrote:

To those who are more savy than I when it comes to the RL military. What is the procedure a Captain would go through should he lose a Navy ship under his command?

I believe the SOP is to sink with the ship. :D

And, just to add - Capt. McVay was eventually exonerated for any wrongdoing; but only a little over a decade ago.

[Cleo Mavendorf]

Hate to disagree Shack...he committed suicide about 15 years later...the navy reviewed the case 3 times...most recently in the late 90's I think...and refused to reverse the conviction. His family and former shipmates have pressed the navy hard to exonorate him but they simply refuse to do so

[Morgan Shackelford]

In October 2000, the United States Congress passed a resolution that Captain McVay's record should reflect that "he is exonerated for the loss of the USS Indianapolis." President Clinton also signed the resolution.

In July 2001, Secretary of the Navy Gordon England ordered McVay's record cleared of all wrongdoing.

http://www.ussindianapolis.org/resolution.htm


That's all from Wiki... I guess technically it's not the same as overturning the convinction? But, still.

[Cleo Mavendorf]

I somehow missed that,,,appreciate the update Shack...wonder what I was up too back then that I did miss it...hmmm *thinks hard enough to fry a few brain cells*

[Jason32]

This might help...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/commanding-officer-of-uss-essex-relieved-of-command-following-collision-with-tanker-at-sea/2012/06/19/gJQAHr5IoV_story.html