CDR Walter Francis Fitzpatrick, III was the executive officer on the USS MARS from 1988-89. He was under orders to attend the Naval War College in Newport, RI when he learned that his former admiral, John Bitoff, had accused him of crimes he did not commit. Bitoff had the new orders rescinded so that he could “discipline” Fitzpatrick and subsequently destroyed his career after holding a sham court-martial based on false allegations.