Under my leadership, a rape occurred onboard this ship. It happened because I failed to discipline sexual misconduct & harassment, which confused sailors and officers into believing they could hit on each other.

This is not about trying to get revenge or embarrass the commanding officer, who died in 2006. The many secrets I have exposed on this website need to be reported in to send a message about the need for justice and accountability, to show that the “system” works, or it should work for all. It did not work for me.

This rape was reported to have occurred sometime in 1984, while the ship was visiting San Francisco. The victim was assigned to the Deck Department as a Boatswain’s Mate (BM), and the perp was a Chief or Senior Chief Boatswain’s Mate (BMC/S). Details are not available because the names of the rapist & victim are not known. I truly feel bad for this victim, especially because it occurred in an environment where sexual misconduct and harassment were totally undisciplined for years. So it was totally preventable. There was a court martial, and the rapist was disciplined, but that would have been the first time any crewmember from this ship was disciplined for sexual misconduct. In case you haven’t read my previous posts on the topic, I will summarize these facts:

• Starting in 1980, an affair occurred between the ship’s married commanding officer at the time (R.F. Grant) and a subordinate single officer (LT Dorothy Nichols). The relationship was known to everyone in the crew, the officers, and the chain of command. These two individuals eventually married in 1984 after leaving the ship. Both received promotions and retirements.
• A male junior officer (LTJG Coltellaro), was a known fraternizer who frequently dated female crewmembers with impunity. He claimed he once received a “C” from Grant on his evaluation for military bearing. That was his lowest grade.
• Under O’Shea’s leadership, LTJG Coltellaro was caught harboring an AWOL Point Loma female sailor (Seaman Apprentice O’Brien) at his apartment in 1982. They were involved in a sexual relationship. When O’Brien returned to the ship 2 weeks later, she was disciplined with reduction in rank. Coltellaro was granted SWO qualification and an excellent performance evaluation.
• Several officers admitted to having brief sexual encounters with each other. Although one lesbian couple, both officers, maintained a longer-term relationship. This was despite the current policy that homosexuality was “incompatible with military service”. A growing number of COs ignored the issue because of increasing bad publicity over “witch hunts.”
• Every time the ship visited another port, women officers were sexually harassed by the male officers. During an extended visit to Bangor, Washington, all of us were at an officer’s club dinner, and the male officers shouted out their BOQ room numbers to us all evening while the CO and XO were present. These seniors paid no attention to the raucous behavior.
• The Command Master Chief, BTCM Jacobs, was a known fraternizer, and a married geographical bachelor. One night while inport San Diego, he brought a civilian woman onboard the ship for a night and was seen escorting her off the ship at about 0400. O’Shea removed him from his position, and he subsequently retired after some form of non-judicial punishment. The irony is that the CO did nothing while Jacobs was dating female crewmembers.
• A married Chief Warrant Officer, James Porter, engaged in an affair with Petty Officer Pauline Linski. She became pregnant, and the policy then was to be immediately transferred to shore duty. Several months later, while still pregnant, O’Shea awarded her an enlisted surface warfare qualification, although no one recalled testing her knowledge. Porter divorced his wife, and married Linski soon afterwards. On completion of Porter’s tour, O’Shea hosted a farewell party for the both of them.
• A married male lieutenant commander Joseph Hansen sexually harassed me by wanting an affair in exchange for professional help that I sought in preparation for an oral board in 1984. I reported the harassment, but O’Shea did not want to do an investigation. I had to insist by filing formal complaints, and after I did, the chain of command conducted a smear campaign to discredit me and dismiss the complaint in a sham investigation.
• Rumors followed CAPT O’Shea afterwards, with alleged accounts about him coming on to female subordinates, one officer and one enlisted. Neither were known to file a complaint.

I never get tired of reporting these facts, because it’s wild. People can ignore me, but they can’t refute me. If the rape victim is reading this, it would be good to hear from you, although I would never reveal your identity, if you choose not to be identified. I hope you have found peace and justice has been served. Just know that with better leadership, it didn’t have to happen.