some careers just ended

Yep, two captains just started looking up their retirement benefits.

Only in corporate America can responsibility not be delegated down to lower levels. I believe in the military responsibility can be delegated down to lower levels. Otherwise, many generals in history would have been demoted after losing one battle.

bullshit

It is failrly common to see snub nosed ships, because collisions are for more commonplace than the public realizes.

That sub commander best not show up in port with a dirty windshield or defective wipers.

Not in the US navy.
The captain of the ship, submarine, tugboat, whatever is ultimately totally responsible for EVERYTHING that happens under his command.
If the captain of either vessel was asleep, they are still responsible for the actions of whoever was at the helm.

So no matter who was at the helm of these two vessels, its still the captains fault.