The former skipper of the USS Greeneville decided Tuesday to testify before the naval inquiry looking into the submarine's collision with the Ehime Maru.
Commissioned: Feb. 16, 1996
Los Angeles-class attack nuclear submarine
Homeported in Pearl Harbor in March 1997
Max crew: 130
Specs:
499 tons
190.8 feet long
30.5 feet wide
Max crew: 76
In a completely unexpected move, Cmdr. Scott Waddle elected to tell his story despite the three-admiral inquiry panel denying him testimonial immunity, which would have made any statements that Waddle made before the panel unusable in any other criminal proceeding, such as a court-martial.
"I am solely responsible," Waddle said in his opening statement to the panel. "I accept full responsibility and accountability for the actions of the crew of the USS Greeneville.
"I am truly sorry for the loss of life and the incalculable grief those losses caused the honorable families of those lost at sea."
Nine sailors from the Ehime Maru remain missing and presumed dead in the wreckage of the sunken ship.
Earlier during the inquiry, Waddle's civilian attorney, Charles Gittins, had stated that Waddle likely would not testify without the immunity protection. But Waddle said Tuesday that he felt obligated to do so.
"This court and the families need to hear from me, despite the personal legal prejudice to me and because it is the right thing to do," Waddle said.
Waddle said that he understood the possible legal consequences that his testimony could bring. However, Waddle told the court that any mistakes he made were not intentional and didn't rise to criminal level.
"If I made a mistake or mistakes, those mistakes were well-intentioned," Waddle said.
When questioned by the panel, Waddle admitted that he violated Navy procedures by taking the sub below 800 feet in depth while visitors were on board. Operations below that depth are classified and not supposed to be seen by the public.
"I did not think about exposing the visitors to classified information," Waddle admitted. "That was a mistake."
Waddle (pictured, right) also said that he wasn't aware of several deficiencies that have been detailed in the prior 11 days of the inquiry. One of those deficiencies was in the sonar room, where a sonar trainee was on duty on the day of the collision without supervision.
"That practice was wrong," Waddle stated. "I was not aware of that practice."
Waddle said that he would have fixed the problem if he knew about it. That statement drew harsh responses from the panel.
"Well, captain, it was your boat," inquiry leader Vice Adm. John Nathman said.
"I'm really having a hard time with that," Rear Adm. Paul Sullivan added. Sullivan is the only experienced submariner on the panel.
The admirals criticized Waddle on several occasions. Another of those criticisms came during questioning about the sub's broken sonar repeater, a piece of equipment that may have helped officers identify sonar contacts at the surface.
Waddle told the panel that he didn't order his top officers to compensate for the broken repeater. He said that he didn't give a clear order because "I was confident my men would compensate for it."
"But your confidence is not backed up by fact," Nathman responded.
A clearly agitated Sullivan also had harsh words.
"Where is the backup that you as commanding officer provided your watch team?" Sullivan asked. "I don't see it."
Waddle is expected to be the final witness in the inquiry. The court unexpectedly stopped calling other witnesses Tuesday, saying that it had heard enough testimony. Sources told
ABCNEWS that the court believes that it had enough information about the incident even without Waddle's testimony.
KITV4 News reporters
Daryl Huff and
Keoki Kerr will have complete reports on Waddle's testimony on KITV4 News at 5 and 6.
Previous Stories:
- March 19, 2001: Sub Technician Stopped Tracking Japanese Ship
- March 19, 2001: Admiral Denies Waddle Immunity
- March 17, 2001: Minutes Could Have Stopped Sub Collision
- March 15, 2001: Ehime Maru Captain Describes Collision
- March 14, 2001: Sub Commander's Style At Heart Of Inquiry
- March 13, 2001: Admiral: Sub Commander Responsible For Safety
- March 12, 2001: Ehime Maru Captain Returns To Islands
- March 10, 2001: Attorney Challenges Expert Witness
- March 9, 2001: Waddle Apologizes To Families
- March 8, 2001: Waddle's Attorney Begins Cross-Examination
- March 7, 2001: Attorney: Waddle Will Not Testify
- March 6, 2001: Court Of Inquiry Looks For Answers
- March 3, 2001: Sub Skipper Wants Immunity
- March 2, 2001: Ehime Maru School Students Graduate
- March 1, 2001: Ehime Maru School Students Graduate
- March 1, 2001: Waddle: 'Part Of Me Died' In Collision
- March 1, 2001: Carlisle, Donohue Among Sub Guests
- February 27, 2001: Japan: Bush Considering Salvage Of Sunken Ship
- February 26, 2001: Waddle Has 'Sincere Regret' About Collision
- February 25, 2001: Sub Investigation Could Widen
- February 22, 2001: Navy Court Of Inquiry Could Be Delayed
- February 20, 2001: Navy Likely To Raise Ehime Maru
- February 20, 2001: Sub Mishap Survivors Still Haunted
- February 19, 2001: Robot Sub Hauled Out For Repairs
- February 19, 2001: Tennessee Town Supports Sub Crew
- February 16, 2001: Search Continues While NTSB Interviews Sub Crew
- February 15, 2001: Police Warn Of Sub Victim Fund Scam
- February 15, 2001: Japanese Outraged Over Sub Revelation
- February 15, 2001: Two Island Residents On Greeneville
- February 14, 2001: Sub Captain Could Face Criminal Inquiry
- February 13, 2001: OHA Responds To State Audit
- February 13, 2001: Ehime Maru Crew Describes Disaster
- February 12, 2001: Bush Offers Prayer For Sub Victims
- February 12, 2001: Latest On Submarine Crash Investigation
- February 12, 2001: NTSB Begins Sub Collision Probe
- February 11, 2001: Ehime Maru Captain Speaks
- February 11, 2001: Sub Commander Reassigned As Search Continues
- February 11, 2001: Sub Collided During Emergency Maneuver
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