Report: lack of a senior quartermaster contributed to Fitz disaster

what else is new? The QM was probably in the signal shack

PO1 Tony Holland When I was undergoing my training as an OOD Underway on the USS Bainbridge CGn-25, I quickly learned that the Chief Quartermaster was the key to getting the portion of a Surface warfare officers equals done successfully. And even when I was fully certified , my best friend on the Bridge was the Chief Quartermaster and his subordinate crew was quintessential to an OOD Underway. Back in my day, we did not have all the computer equipment to drive a ship, and everything was done by eyes, ears, radar, and a maneuvering board. Then of course you had input from lookouts, and those in CIC. The other thing I had was that black phone on the bridge and that was my communication with the Skipper which is used by every good OOD ny the standing orders to let the skipper know of any course changes, speed changes, and skunks (surface contacts) that were spotted and I had to tell him what our CPA was and to what position it would pass.