Greeneville incident alumni
| • | Ehime Maru: a year later |
| • | Back home in Japan, life endures beyond anguish |
Cmdr. Scott Waddle
The former captain of the USS Greeneville was found guilty of dereliction of duty and hazarding a vessel. He retired in October, saying he had job offers. He has yet to find employment, however.
Waddle declined an interview about the anniversary but his attorney, Charles Gittins, said: "I have talked to him, and it isn't on his mind. He is not observing the anniversary. He is moving on with his life. It is not that he doesn't care about it or is insensitive to the families, but he can't live in the past."
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Lt. Cmdr. Gerald K. Pfeifer
The executive officer of the Greeneville was admonished for lack of oversight on the day of the collision with the Ehime Maru. He also was aboard the Greeneville in August when it briefly grounded off Saipan and he received a punitive letter of reprimand for his role.
Although he had been selected for promotion to commander before the collision with the Ehime Maru, the grounding put that on hold pending a decision by the secretary of the Navy. Pfeifer is no longer assigned to the Greeneville and not stationed in Hawai'i. He has a shore assignment, but the Navy will not say where.
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Lt. j.g. Michael J. Coen
Coen was "officer of the deck" at the time of the collision. He received a lecture about his responsibilities to the submarine. Although assigned to the Greeneville when it grounded off Saipan, he was not on board at the time.
Coen was promoted to lieutenant as part of a normal process that began before the collision with the Ehime Maru. He is no longer assigned to the Greeneville, however, and no longer in Hawai'i. He has a shore assignment, but the Navy will not say where.
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Capt. Robert L. Brandhuber
Although he was a guest on board the Greeneville the day of the collision, Brandhuber was the senior officer on board. The Navy concluded, however, that he had no official authority over the sub's captain or enough information on what ships were on the surface to prompt intervention.
But the Navy also concluded that he should have played a more forceful role that day, and he was admonished. He is still has the same job he had that day, chief of staff for the U.S. Pacific Fleet's submarine force.
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Petty Officer Patrick Seacrest
Seacrest was the fire-control technician of the watch and failed to chart ships being tracked on the Greeneville's contact evaluation plot as required. Although he was granted testimonial immunity for appearing before the Court of Inquiry, it was later recommended that he be punished by the new Greeneville captain.
He has remained aboard the Greeneville since.
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Vice Adm. John B. Nathman
Nathman led a trio of admirals during the court of inquiry. His assignment has not changed since the court concluded: He is commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet's Naval Air Force.
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Rear Adm. David M. Stone
Stone was commander of Destroyer Group 5 when he served on the Court of Inquiry. In December he became the director of the Navy's Environmental Protection, Safety and Occupational Health Division.
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Rear Adm. Paul F. Sullivan
Sullivan was director for plans and policies at the U.S. Strategic Command when he served on the Court of Inquiry. In April, a few weeks after it concluded, he became director of the Submarine Warfare Division.
