17 sailors disciplined for Fitzgerald and McCain collisions
17, interesting. The same number as sailors killed in the two collisions. And the two captains and three others will still face courts-martial for negligent homicide. I am interested in seeing how that charge works with the captain of the Fitzgerald- he was asleep in his berth when the collision occurred. If it is found that he was lax in training his crew, is that enough to sustain a charge of negligent homicide?
Seventeen sailors from the destroyers Fitzgerald and John S. McCain have received nonjudicial punishment for their roles in last summer’s West Pacific collisions that killed 17 sailors, officials confirmed Thursday.
The Navy also plans to reverse a guilty verdict it handed out to an officer from the warship Fitzgerald for involvement in the June 17 collision off Japan that killed seven shipmates.
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This week, the CDA’s head, Adm. Frank Caldwell, held nonjudicial punishment proceedings for six sailors at the warships’ home port of Yokosuka, Japan.
They included the Fitzgerald’s second-in-command and command master chief, as well as another officer.
They were all found guilty of dereliction in the performance of duties and received a punitive letter of reprimand, according to the Navy.
Caldwell also held hearings for three McCain sailors.
He dismissed charges against one McCain officer and one enlisted sailor at NJP hearings this week.
Caldwell found another enlisted sailor guilty of dereliction in performance of duties. That sailor received a letter of reprimand, forfeiture of half a month’s pay for two months and a reduction in rank, according to the Navy release.