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Greeneville, Tenn.,
citizens bring gifts
of supportBy Gregg K. Kakesako
Star-BulletinAt least one suitcase loaded with cards, letters, student art work and Girl Scout cookies -- all expressions of a community's sympathy for the crew and families of the sunken Japanese fishing trawler Ehime Maru and the USS Greeneville -- will be hand-carried to Hawaii from the town that bears the name of the attack submarine.
Waddle delivers apology
Dale Long, president of the USS Greeneville Inc., and his wife, Linda Kay, will arrive here tomorrow with the city of Greeneville's expressions of support and sympathy.
"The intent of our trip is to be there for our extended family on the submarine and to show our concern and sympathy for the Japanese families on behalf of this community," Long said in a telephone interview from the Greeneville Sun, where he is the paper's circulation manager.
He will bring more than 1,100 cards, letters and art work signed by 2,500 people and collected from church groups, senior citizen organizations, schools and civic clubs.
Long was working for Greeneville Industries, a subsidiary of Newport News Shipbuilding, when Greeneville Inc. was formed in 1989 to lobby the Navy to have a Los Angeles class submarine named after the northeastern Tennessee community of 14,000.
It has supported the submarine since it was christened in 1994 and helped underwrite the commissioning activities two years later.
Long said the Navy is working on trying to arrange a meeting at Pearl Harbor with Greeneville crew members.
"We are also hoping to meet with some of the Japanese families or their representatives," Long said.
"When a family member is in need, you don't turn your back," he said, "but by the same token, we want to stress our sympathy for the Japanese crew members and all their families."
Long said he is comfortable that he and his wife will be able to meet some of the sailors from the Greeneville.
The Girl Scout cookies are annual gifts from Greeneville community members to the submarine's crew. Girl Scouts in the Tennessee community two years ago began asking people to buy the cookies, which were then sent to the submarine.
The Greeneville is currently in Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard's drydock 1 undergoing repairs for damage sustained when it collided with the Japanese fishing training vessel Feb. 9.