USS Greeneville (SSN-772), a , is the only ship of the
United States Navy to be named for
Greeneville, Tennessee. The contract to build her was awarded to
Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in
Newport News, Virginia, on 14 December 1988, and her keel was laid down on 28 February 1992. She was
launched on 17 September 1994, sponsored by
Tipper Gore, and
commissioned on 16 February 1996, with Commander Duane B. Hatch in command.
The Ehime Maru incident
USS Greeneville in dry dock following collision.
On 9 February 2001, while conducting an emergency main ballast tank blow off the coast of Oahu while hosting several civilian "distinguished visitors", mainly donors to the Battleship Missouri Memorial, the
Greeneville struck the commercial Japanese fishing vessel
Ehime Maru (えひめ丸), causing the fisher to sink in less than ten minutes with the death of nine crew members, including four high school students. The commander of the
Greeneville, Commander
Scott Waddle, accepted full responsibility for the incident. However, after he faced a
court of inquiry, it was decided a full
court-martial would be unnecessary and Commander Waddle was forced to retire and given an Honorable discharge.
Saipan incident
On 27 August 2001,
Greeneville ran aground while entering port in
Saipan on a routine Western Pacific Deployment. The boat's underside, rudder, and
secondary propulsion motor suffered minor damage; repairs required drydocking and a significant delay in the remainder of her deployment. The boat's commanding officer, Commander David Bogdan, was relieved of command, and the navigator and assistant navigator were also removed from their duties. In addition, the navigator and the sub's executive officer, Lieutenant Commander Gerald Pfieffer, were found guilty of "hazarding a vessel" during an
admiral's mast, conducted by Rear Admiral Joseph Enright, Commander, Submarine Group Seven.
USS Ogden collision
Then, on 27 January 2002, less than a year after colliding with
Ehime Maru and five months after running aground,
Greeneville collided with during a personnel transfer off the coast of
Oman, opening a 5 by 18 inch (130 by 460 mm) hole in one of
Ogden’s fuel tanks and spilling several thousand gallons of fuel. After the collision, both vessels left the area under their own power.
Commander Lindsay R. Hankins was allowed to remain in command and went on to have a very successful command tour with his XO Lt.Cdr Mark D. Pyle. Capt. Hankins went on to be awarded the coveted Admiral
James Stockdale Award, the highest honor bestowed upon a Navy commanding officer. Lt.Cdr Pyle also went on to have the honor of being bestowed with the
John Paul Jones award, which recognizes outstanding leadership.
On 9 July 2004, when Commander Lorin Selby relieved Hankins as commanding officer of
Greeneville, Captain Cecil Haney, Commodore, Submarine Squadron One, stated that "The performance of USS
Greeneville during Captain Hankins' tour has been nothing but remarkable. It has been marked by top grades in both tactical and engineering readiness. Lee Hankins was handpicked by our leadership for the job as CO of Greeneville. They got it right." Hankins was selected for promotion to Captain in 2005 and is currently Commodore of Submarine Squadron One (COMSUBRON 1) based in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
See also
