 Salvage would cost $40 million
Sub fleet commander blames Greeneville skipper
Officer admits he didn't speak up
A Tribute to the Missing
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By Mike Gordon
and Susan Roth
Advertiser Staff Writers
People in the military call it "command presence." Leaders that have it carry themselves with a swagger that makes it clear who is in charge. They have confidence, charisma and character.
Rear Adm. Albert Konetzni Jr., the man submariners call "Big Al, the sailor’s pal," has it.
On the witness stand yesterday, as a trio of Navy admirals sought to understand what put a U.S. submarine on a deadly collision course with a Japanese fishing vessel, Konetzni took charge with a series of war stories, sharing his experience in a booming voice.
He had been called to answer questions about the USS Greeneville and its former captain, Cmdr. Scott Waddle, a man he spoke of as a son.
"I had wanted this man to be what I have become," he told the court. "I wanted him to have a great influence on the Navy, our government and our military defense."
His thoughts on the crew of the Greeneville, a showcase boat, often turned to thoughts of patriotism, of Americans like Waddle "who guard the walls at night."
And his response to questions about civilian guests riding submarines brought comments on the all-volunteer military, past wars and the fact that submarines are named after cities because "fish don’t vote."
"We can’t ever afford in this country, ever afford, to have some foreign competitor miscalculate," he told the court. "I swear to God that is important. Miscalculate. We allowed Japan to miscalculate in World War II. We allowed Russia to miscalculate."
His sailors, Konetzni told the court more than once, "sell the Navy."
Konetzni, who has been in the Navy for 35 years, is one of the most respected and beloved officers at the Pearl Harbor sub base. In his three years there, he nearly doubled the percentage of sailors who sign up for a second tour and found ways to lighten an unprecedented workload that often kept submariners working on Saturdays, Sundays and nights.
Since arriving in Hawai‘i, he has waged an aggressive public crusade to stop the scheduled scrapping of submarines before their time. At one point, the Pearl Harbor sub force Web page contained a blinking SOS for "Save Our Submarines." He never apologized for that style, saying that he had an obligation to be honest.
Konetzni regaled the court with tales of eating bento lunches with Japanese submariners, of sharing a smoke with civilian guests on ride-alongs — Konetzni is a cigar afficionado with a fondness for cognac — and of feeling so passionate about the job his sailors do that it sometimes moves him to tears.
But Konetzni is Waddle’s boss, and that put both in an uncomfortable position in the courtroom yesterday. A conflicted Konetzni struggled with questions about Waddle’s actions, creating an emotional atmosphere in the courtroom that contrasted with last week’s charts, numbers and technical terms. At one point, he even cried.
Konetzni told the court of riding the Greeneville a year ago and emerging impressed with the crew’s comraderie, communication, professionalism and joy in their work. But afterward, he said he took Waddle aside because he sensed that the ambitious skipper was moving too fast for his young crew — a recurring criticism during the first five days of the trial.
"I meant it with love, but I told him, ‘Don’t run too fast. Let them catch up to you,’" he said. "It was not a warning. He’s my brother, if not my son. He’s a very caring individual. He would take care of the young’uns. I saw a little bit of myself in the commander, in my early days. ‘Slow it down,’ I told him. ‘Give them the opportunity to grow.’"
Waddle shifted uncomfortably in his chair as Konetzni finally laid full responsibility for the accident at his feet.
For an eight-minute period Feb. 9, Waddle twice took control of the ship when he should have allowed his team the critical time to do its job, the admiral said. "When you take (control) and don’t provide enough time, you better be right."
When Waddle walked into the court a week ago, he stood tall and ready to face those who questioned his ability to lead — his command presence. All that was gone yesterday when the court’s morning session ended.
He couldn’t face Konetzni, and fled the courtroom.
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