Navy investigation reports chaos on bridge of USS Essex last spring, leading to collision with oiler Yukon. The Essex skipper’s failure to properly lead his junior bridge watch team caused what could have been an “avoidable” collision, according to the report obtained by Navy Times through a Freedom of Information Act request. The findings shed new light on the May 16 collision off the coast of California, a day before Essex returned to San Diego. For his role in the collision, Capt. Charles E. “Chuck” Litchfield was fired June 18 by Rear Adm.