Army Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba, a Leilehua High School graduate who has family on O'ahu, didn't mince words in 2004 when he led the investigation into detainee abuse at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.

Four years later and retired from the Army, Taguba, who is vice president for Army and joint programs at Serco Inc. in Virginia, has sharpened his attack on detainee abuse, saying the Bush administration is guilty of war crimes.

But first, back to 2004 and the investigation that may have ended Taguba's career.

In his report on Abu Ghraib, Taguba found that between October and December 2003, "numerous incidents of sadistic, blatant and wanton criminal abuses were inflicted on several detainees."

"This systematic and illegal abuse of detainees was intentionally perpetrated by several members of the military police guard force," he wrote.

At a subsequent hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Sen. John Warner, R-Va., said to Taguba: "I wish to personally say, I commend you for your public service."

Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., said, "I thank you for your professionalism in carrying out this service to our nation."

Behind the scenes, reported Seymour Hersh in The New Yorker, Taguba was mocked by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who summoned the two-star general to a meeting and said, "Here ... comes ... that famous General Taguba — of the Taguba report!"

Nearly two years later in January 2006, Taguba received a phone call from Gen. Richard Cody, the Army's vice chief of staff, Hersh said.

"This is your vice," Hersh reported Cody as saying. "I need you to retire by January of 2007."

So ended Taguba's 34 years of active service.

In a preface to a new Physicians for Human Rights study on detainee torture at Guantanamo Bay, in Iraq and Afghanistan, and elsewhere, Taguba said, "This report tells the largely untold human story of what happened to detainees in our custody when the commander in chief and those under him authorized a systematic regime of torture.

"The profiles of these 11 former detainees, none of whom were ever charged with a crime or told why they were detained, are tragic and brutal rebuttals to those who claim that torture is ever justified," Taguba said.

Later, Taguba said, "After years of disclosures by government investigations, media accounts and reports from human rights organizations, there is no longer any doubt as to whether the current administration has committed war crimes."

McClatchy Newspapers reported that White House spokeswoman Kate Starr had no comment on Taguba's accusations.

Taguba, who was born in the Philippines, was the second Filipino-American to become a general. He was known in the military as a straight shooter and standup guy.

His father, Tomas, served in the Philippines Scouts under the U.S. Army in 1942. The family came to Hawai'i when Antonio Taguba was 11.

Contacted by e-mail, "Tony" Taguba said thank you, but "I don't do interviews on this issue."

But he added, "I hope the media will (go) after those who were intimately responsible for creating this situation while disregarding the rules of law."

Taguba said he was back home in Hawai'i in April and May to be at his mother's funeral. Maria Taguba, 81, died April 27. The retired Hale Kula Elementary School custodian was buried at Mililani Memorial Park. Taguba's father still lives in Wahiawa.

Tony's sister, Elaine, said her brother is doing well, and she and Tony went to Italy in their mother's honor after she passed away.

"He was going to take her," Elaine Taguba said.

Taguba said this at the Senate Armed Services Committee meeting in May 2004: "As I assembled the investigation team, my specific instructions to my teammates were clear: maintain our objectivity and integrity throughout the course of our mission in what I considered to be a very grave, highly sensitive and serious situation; to be mindful of our personal values and the moral values of our nation; and to maintain the Army values in all of our dealings; and to be complete, thorough and fair in the course of the investigation. Bottom line: We will follow our conscience and do what is morally right."

IN BRIEF

CREW TURNOVER MOVED TO SAN DIEGO

A crew turnover between the aircraft carriers USS Kitty Hawk and USS George Washington originally planned for early June in Pearl Harbor will take place in San Diego in August as a result of the fire that occurred aboard George Washington on May 22, the Navy said.

Kitty Hawk, which will participate in Rim of the Pacific war games off Hawai'i later this month, will proceed to Bremerton, Wash., to complete her decommissioning after the August crew turnover, the Navy said. George Washington's schedule has not been determined.

QUICK WORK ON FAST ATTACK SUB

Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard reported that it finished repairs on the fast attack submarine USS Key West one week early on June 16.

"Key West was the Pacific Fleet submarine force's No. 1 priority and the project team delivered her ahead of schedule, providing additional mission-critical days to the fleet," said Capt. Gregory Thomas, shipyard commander. "This is a very significant victory for us."

Reach William Cole at wcole@honoluluadvertiser.com.