 Fred P. Moosally ( born 4 October 1944 ) is a former captain in the United States Navy . During his naval career , Moosally served in many different assignments , including commander of a destroyer and the battleship USS Iowa . Moosally was captain of the Iowa when the center gun of one of the ship 's main gun turrets exploded on April 19 , 1989 , killing 47 crewmen . 
