Sleeping Sailors on U.S.S. Fitzgerald Awoke to a Calamity at Seabr But it reflects “the unique status of the captain of a Navy ship in American societybr — absolute authority, and absolute accountability,” Mr. McGrath said.br Then, Navy officers with decades of experience at sea say, there were probably minutes of sheer terrorbr aboard the Fitzgerald before the collision with an enormous container ship that killed seven sailors.br “It’s a terrible, swift sanction, but it sends a message to everyone else in the fleet — make sure you’rebr training harder, make sure they call you when another ship is approaching,” Mr. McGrath said.