Skipper passes combat test

By William Cole
Advertiser Military Writer

When it comes to talk of the "tip of the spear" in the war in Afghanistan, Navy Cmdr. Scott Bawden and his crew were on the cutting edge.

Cmdr. Scott Bawden was skipper of the submarine USS Providence during the campaign in Afghanistan. US Navy

The Pearl Harbor-based submarine USS Key West was the first.

The 360-foot Providence, based out of Groton, Conn., prowled the waters for nearly a month before joining with the ships of two battle groups in launching a barrage of Tomahawk cruise missiles on Oct. 7, the start of the war against the Taliban regime and the terrorist organization it harbored.

"We shot in the first salvo, and then we shot in every salvo from then until we left (the Arabian Sea)," Bawden said.

Bawden, now deputy commander of Submarine Squadron One at Pearl Harbor, said there would be a dull thud and a noticeable ship movement as each rocket-fired Tomahawk streaked out of the sub's vertical launch tubes.

Although it got the news earlier, the first actual pictures and video of the terrorist attacks that prompted the strikes in Afghanistan were seen on the Providence just prior to combat operations. "I don't think that anybody ever felt so justified in carrying out an attack as we did," Bawden said.

But there was no cheering or celebration by the crew, "mostly I think because that kind of stuff is a little unprofessional, and these guys are pros," Bawden said. "I think it was a very serious task."

Typically, the sub would be informed how successful the strikes had been.

As it turned out, they were very successful.

A cruise missile launched from the USS Philippine Sea streaks toward its target in Afghanistan. The USS Providence joined with the surface ship in the attack. Advertiser library photo • Oct. 7, 2001

"Cmdr. Bawden's extraordinary professionalism, inspiring determination, and exhaustive expertise in submarine strike operations had a profound influence on the readiness of his ship and crew for combat operations," the citation reads.

Often responding on short notice, Providence "flawlessly launched assigned missiles, destroying or severely damaging their intended targets," the award states.

Bawden, who had commanded the Providence since 1999, said his former crew performed "superbly."

"The Navy trained these people to come to the ship as good leaders, prepared to do their jobs," he said. "So as a leader, I let them do their jobs and I found that when I stepped back and gave them the chance to maneuver like that they became excellent on their own."

The Bronze Star wasn't the only recognition the sub commander received.

Bawden, 46, also received the Navy League's 2002 John Paul Jones Award for Inspirational Leadership.

The July award noted that Bawden's concern for his crew and professional knowledge resulted in Providence's repeated recognition as one of the top submarines in the Atlantic submarine force.

Bawden, who arrived at Pearl Harbor in February, said he accepted the award on behalf of his crew because it "recognizes the achievements of the ship and what the submarine force can do."

Although Bawden couldn't say how many Tomahawks he fired from the Arabian Sea, he did say the Providence carried out a "large amount" of strike operations that were successful, and gave the battle force commander the ability to put missiles on target in short order.

Some were launched from periscope depth at night, with Bawden watching through the periscope. "It was pretty spectacular to see one of those things fly off in the dark."

There also were some new tactics devised with newer communications equipment carried by the Providence, which gave it the ability to receive and send data more efficiently, he said.

Starting with Providence (SSN 719), 12 vertical launch tubes were added to the Los Angeles-class subs, which still have anti-submarine warfare as a primary mission, but also are used for surveillance and the precision land attack.

Tomahawk cruise missiles also can be launched via torpedo tubes, and the Providence used both launch methods in the Arabian Sea.

Alan S. Lloyd, national director emeritus of the Navy League for the Honolulu Council, said with the availability of the Tomahawk, "for the first time, any American attack submarine can attack a target that's hundreds of miles inland."

The Key West, which arrived off the coast of Pakistan ahead of the carrier USS Carl Vinson and its battle group, fired Tomahawks weeks after the initial Oct. 7 bombing in Afghanistan.

The Providence was at the tail end of a six-month deployment with the carrier USS Enterprise and its battle group in the Persian Gulf area when the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks occurred. The Enterprise was headed to South Africa, and the Providence was headed for the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean when the orders came to turn around.

In the weeks that followed, "a lot of (combat) preparations were going on that we were getting ready for," Bawden said, adding the Providence stayed on deployment for more than seven months.

One of the things that he said impressed him a lot was the crew's professionalism not only during training, but during the real deal in the Arabian Sea.

"We trained to a standard that turned out to be almost the same as what we did in combat," he said.

Reach William Cole at wcole@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-5459.