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American Morning

No Court-Martial Planned for USS Greeneville Commander

Aired April 16, 2001 - 11:10   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: News on another military matter. CNN Is reporting that three Navy admirals are recommending that Commander Scott Waddle not be court-martialed. Waddle was at the helm of the U.S. submarine, USS Greeneville, when it accidentally rammed a Japanese boat in February.

Let's go to our CNN military affairs correspondent Jamie McIntyre who is at the Pentagon with more on the decision -- Jamie, good morning.

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN MILITARY AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.

Well, that was one of the outstanding questions, the fate of Commander Scott Waddle, the submarine commander of the USS Greeneville, and sources are telling CNN's Martin Savidge in Honolulu that that three-admiral court of inquiry has unanimously recommended no court martial, no criminal proceeding for Commander Scott Waddle, because they concluded that he was not guilty of any criminal intent or willful wrongdoing.

Nevertheless, they do find that he is responsible for the accident that claimed the lives of those nine crewmembers of the Ehime Maru, which was sunk when the Greeneville struck it. The -- as the submarine Commander Waddle has ultimate responsibility and -- this will likely end his career.

The final decision is up to Admiral Tom Fargo, the U.S. Pacific commander who has 30 days to make a decision, but sources say he'll act rather quickly. He will likely reprimand Waddle in a non-judicial form of punishment, and he will likely be allowed to con -- to finish out the time he needs to put in in order to retire.

Waddle told "Time" magazine that he realized at the beginning that his career was over, and he told "Time" magazine, quote, "It's unfortunate that with all the time and money the Navy has invested in me that they don't need my services, that I am expendable."

The court of inquiry also apparently did not recommend any court martial for any of the other members of the crew, including a more senior officer who was on board to escort the distinguished visitors aboard the submarine. But we await the release of the recommendations to find out if the Navy will change at all procedures for allowing civilians to go along on military-training missions -- Daryn. KAGAN: Jamie McIntyre at the Pentagon. Thank you very much.

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