Ex-Greeneville captain pays respects to victims
| • | Special report: Collision at Sea |
By Mari Yamaguchi
Associated Press
UWAJIMA, Japan — Retired U.S. Navy Cmdr. Scott Waddle, former captain of the submarine USS Greeneville, laid flowers today at a memorial for nine people killed when the sub under his command hit and sank the training vessel Ehime Maru off O'ahu in February 2001.
Associated Press
Wearing a black suit and a tie, Waddle bowed deeply as he entered the victims' school and silently looked up at the silver-colored monument erected in February in memory of the lost lives.
Retired U.S. Navy Cmdr. Scott Waddle yesterday honored the victims of the Ehime Maru tragedy in Uwajima, Japan.
No school officials, teachers or students showed up to watch Waddle pay his respects, and the only witnesses were members of the media and a few neighbors of the school.
Accompanied by two American lawyers, Waddle slowly walked toward the monument and placed before it a wreath made of white lilies. Then he bowed again deeply and prayed in silence.
"May your spirits rest in peace," Waddle said after he read aloud the names of all the victims, and placed a card containing his message of condolences with the wreath.
Waddle was in command of the USS Greeneville when it struck the Ehime Maru on Feb. 9, 2001, sinking the fisheries training vessel off O'ahu, killing nine of the 35 people aboard.
The vessel had been carrying students, teachers and crew from Uwajima Fisheries High School in this quiet fishing town in Ehime prefecture, about 420 miles southwest of Tokyo.
Waddle had vowed to visit the victims' families in their hometown before retiring last October, but postponed the trip after Navy officials said the timing wasn't right.
In a note sent to Japanese media Thursday, Waddle apologized for the delay and said he hoped his visit might help "ease the pain of those who are suffering."
Last month, principal Kazumitsu Joko refused to let Waddle enter the school but later agreed to accept his visit.
Many victims' relatives have told prefectural officials they did not want him to visit. Deferring to their wishes, local officials have not arranged an official ceremony or meeting with Waddle.
Only the members of one family, who made a visit by Waddle to Japan a condition of reaching a settlement, have said they want to meet the former skipper. They are likely to meet with Waddle somewhere outside Uwajima.
Tsuguhide Suzuki, a Japanese lawyer helping with the visit, said Waddle may meet several families and survivors in Uwajima later today. He refused to disclose details, saying both sides want to meet in private.
