Greeneville heading to Pearl
Harbor dry-dock for repairs

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By Gregg K. Kakesako
gkakesako@starbulletin.com

The nuclear attack submarine USS Greeneville will begin a six-week dry-dock period April 16 to repair its port stern plane stabilizer damaged in a January collision in the Indian Ocean. The job is estimated to cost $200,000, said Lt. Cmdr. Kelly Merrell, Pacific Submarine Forces spokeswoman.

It's the second time in 14 months that the Greeneville has had to be repaired at Pearl Harbor and its third collision in that time period. The earlier repairs at Pearl Harbor stemmed from an accident on Feb. 9, 2001, when the Greeneville hit the Japanese fisheries training vessel Ehime Maru about nine miles south of Diamond Head. Nine of the 35 men and boys aboard the Ehime Maru died. Greeneville Cmdr. Scott Waddle was reprimanded by a military court of inquiry and allowed to retire. Repairs to the submarine cost more than $2 million. Then on Aug. 27, while trying to enter the Saipan seaport in rough seas, the Greeneville ran aground, causing damage that cost $120,000 to repair. That accident prompted the Navy to again remove the Greeneville's skipper, Cmdr. David S. Bogdan.

Next month's repairs come after a collision with the amphibious transport dock ship USS Ogden Jan. 28 in the Indian Ocean. Cmdr. William Edwards, skipper of the Ogden, was reassigned due to the Navy's "loss of confidence in his ability to command," pending the outcome of an ongoing investigation. Cmdr. Lowell Crow has been named as the Ogden's new skipper.

No disciplinary action has been taken against Cmdr. Lindsey Hankins, commanding officer of the Greeneville, or its crew.

The Greeneville collided with the Ogden off the coast of Oman while preparing to transfer two sailors. The 362-foot submarine suffered a scrape about 6 inches wide and 4 feet long in its starboard quarter, and temporary repairs were made.

The nuclear attack submarine returned to Pearl Harbor on March 3 after a nearly seven-month deployment.