U.S. Navy Cmdr. Scott Waddle, the skipper of the U.S. submarine Greeneville when it struck and sank a Japanese high school fisheries training ship in February, was given an honorable discharge by the Navy effective Sunday, Navy authorities said.
With his retirement, Waddle cannot visit and personally apologize as a Navy officer to the families of nine Japanese who went missing in the collision.
Waddle will be allowed to retire with his rank of commander and will be paid an annuity of about $35,000 a year since he served for 20 years, they said.
In April, he was reprimanded by Commander of the Pacific Fleet Adm. Thomas Fargo and punished with a salary cut. However, the cut was suspended for six months and will not be implemented because Waddle is retiring Sunday.
Waddle's attorney Charles Gittins said his client has chosen to keep silent about the accident and what future actions he will take. He added that he is not sure of Waddle's new home address.
The Greeneville struck and sank the 499-ton Ehime Maru on Feb. 9 as the sub conducted an emergency surfacing maneuver for a group of civilian visitors aboard, leaving nine Japanese crew members missing, including four students from Uwajima Fisheries High School in Ehime Prefecture.
After the accident, Waddle was stripped of his position as Greeneville captain and reassigned to a desk job within the navy.