Cmdr. Scott Waddle, skipper of the USS Greeneville, the nuclear submarine that collided with the Japanese fisheries training vessel Ehime Maru, resulting in the loss of nine lives, has been found guilty of violating military law. Offered a choice between retiring or explaining his actions at another hearing, Mr. Waddle opted for the former. His naval career is over. That is unlikely to satisfy the families of the victims; nonetheless, it is time to bring closure to this tragic incident.
In a statement this week, Mr. Waddle said that the events of Feb. 9 will be with him for the rest of his life. That day, the Greeneville was on a cruise with 16 civilian guests who were participating in a navy public-relations program. To impress them, Mr. Waddle ordered an emergency tank ballast blow, a procedure that forces the submarine to rush to the surface and is as exhilarating as it is dangerous. Navy officials have acknowledged that the procedure was performed only for the benefit of the civilian guests, three of whom were at the controls of the submarine at the time of the accident.
At the time of the surfacing, the submarine was behind schedule. Sonar officers have testified that they were not following standard procedures when tracking ships in the area; Mr. Waddle said the submarine spent about 80 seconds at periscope depth before surfacing and has admitted that was not long enough.