Command experience on auxiliaries changes how officers understand war

Ernest King's command of the stores ship USS Bridge gave him experience of supplying a fleet. Mercogliano questions whether separating auxiliaries into the RFA and Military Sealift Command deprives later naval commanders of comparable experience. Clarke notes that civilian RFA status can facilitate port access and that Royal Navy aviation detachments still serve aboard auxiliaries. In his experience, aircraft engineers who serve in those detachments understand logistics well, but seldom progress to fleet command and have attractive civilian employment options. William Callaghan's work as Nimitz's logistics chief and Lawson Ramage's experience attacking supply ships provide further examples of practical knowledge. The final comparison with Red Hill and the Big Horn grounding connects that knowledge to recognizing weaknesses in fuel supply.