As the "Caine" begins its missions under his command, Queeg loses the respect of the crew and the loyalty of the wardroom through a series of incidents. Tensions aboard the ship cause Queeg to isolate himself from the other officers, who snub him as unworthy, believing him an oppressive coward. At one point, during the invasion of Kwajalein, Queeg is ordered to escort low-lying landing craft to their line of departure. But instead, Queeg orders the "Caine" to throw over a yellow dye marker to mark the spot, and the "Caine" hastily leaves the battle area. The officers nickname Queeg "Old Yellowstain", a nickname that implies cowardice.