Alan Klein,
Think again, You've posted over a 100 times within the past 24 hours - if I'm going to be kind ( I am) your judgement is clouded.
The captain didn't go over anybody's head. He reacted when, from a Monday to Thursday (4 days) high command didn't respond and his men were, in his opinion, put in danger, As he said "We're not at war ..."
The kind of Commander soldiers and sailors respect.
'Only' 91% of those polled think the sacking unjustified. Clearly, you weren't amongst them.