USS ''Greeneville'' is a
nuclear-powered
Nuclear power is the use of nuclear reactions to produce electricity. Nuclear power can be obtained from nuclear fission, nuclear decay and nuclear fusion reactions. Presently, the vast majority of electricity from nuclear power is produced b ...
attack submarine
An attack submarine or hunter-killer submarine is a submarine specifically designed for the purpose of attacking and sinking other submarines, surface combatants and merchant vessels. In the Soviet and Russian navies they were and are called ...
(
SSN), and the only vessel in
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
history to be named after
Greeneville, Tennessee
Greeneville is a town in and the county seat of Greene County, Tennessee, United States. The population as of the 2020 census was 15,479. The town was named in honor of Revolutionary War hero Nathanael Greene, and it is the second oldest town i ...
. The contract to build the boat was awarded to
Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in
Newport News, Virginia, on 14 December 1988, and her keel was laid down on 28 February 1992. She was
launched on 17 September 1994, sponsored by
Tipper Gore
Mary Elizabeth "Tipper" Gore (née Aitcheson; born August 19, 1948) is an American social issues advocate, activist, photographer and author who was the second lady of the United States from 1993 to 2001. She was married to Al Gore, the 45th vi ...
, and
commissioned on 16 February 1996.
''Greeneville'' had a deadly collision with a Japanese fishing vessel, ''Ehime Maru'', off the coast of Oahu in February 2001.
Namesake
She was named after Greeneville, the home of 17th United States President
Andrew Johnson, after local residents, businesses such as Greeneville Metal Manufacturing, which builds submarine components, and government officials began a campaign for a submarine to be named after their town, rather than a large metropolitan area.
Boat's history
The ''Ehime Maru'' incident
![USS Greeneville (SSN 772) - dry dock Pearl Harbor (1)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/USS_Greeneville_%28SSN_772%29_-_dry_dock_Pearl_Harbor_%281%29.jpg)
On 9 February 2001, while conducting a main ballast tank blow off the coast of
Oahu
Oahu () ( Hawaiian: ''Oʻahu'' ()), also known as "The Gathering Place", is the third-largest of the Hawaiian Islands. It is home to roughly one million people—over two-thirds of the population of the U.S. state of Hawaii. The island of O ...
while hosting several civilian "distinguished visitors", mainly donors to the Battleship ''Missouri'' Memorial, ''Greeneville'' struck the 191-foot (58 m) Japanese
fishery high school training ship ''Ehime Maru'' (えひめ丸), causing the fishing boat to sink in less than ten minutes with the death of nine crew members, including four high school students. The commander of ''Greeneville'', Commander
Scott Waddle, accepted full responsibility for the incident. However, after he faced a
court of inquiry, it was decided a full
court-martial would be unnecessary and opted for a non-judicial punishment; Commander Waddle's request to retire was approved for 1 October 2001 with an honorable discharge.
The Saipan incident
On 27 August 2001, ''Greeneville'' ran aground while entering port in
Saipan on a routine Western Pacific deployment. The boat's underside, rudder, and propulsion train suffered minor damage; repairs required drydocking and a significant delay in the remainder of her deployment. The boat's commanding officer, Commander David Bogdan, was relieved of command, and the navigator and assistant navigator were also removed from their duties. In addition, the navigator and the sub's executive officer, Lieutenant Commander Gerald Pfieffer, were found guilty of "hazarding a vessel" during an
admiral's mast, conducted by Rear Admiral Joseph Enright, Commander, Submarine Group Seven.
USS ''Ogden'' collision
On 27 January 2002, less than a year after colliding with ''Ehime Maru'' and five months after running aground, ''Greeneville'' collided with during a personnel transfer off the coast of
Oman
Oman ( ; ar, عُمَان ' ), officially the Sultanate of Oman ( ar, سلْطنةُ عُمان ), is an Arabian country located in southwestern Asia. It is situated on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and spans the mouth of ...
, opening a 5 by 18 inch (130 by 460 mm) hole in one of ''Ogden''s fuel tanks and spilling several thousand gallons of fuel. After the collision, both vessels left the area under their own power.
Post-2002 service
Following the investigation regarding the collision with ''Ogden'', Commander Lindsay R. Hankins was permitted to remain in command of the ''Greeneville''. Despite the fact the ''Ogden''s commanding officer was fired, Hankins went on to have a successful command tour with his XO LCDR Mark D. Pyle. Capt. Hankins went on to be awarded the coveted
. LCDR Pyle also went on to have the honor of being bestowed with the
John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones (born John Paul; July 6, 1747 July 18, 1792) was a Scottish-American naval captain who was the United States' first well-known naval commander in the American Revolutionary War. He made many friends among U.S political elites ( ...
award, which recognizes outstanding leadership.
On 9 July 2004, when Commander Lorin Selby relieved Hankins as commanding officer of ''Greeneville'', Captain
Cecil Haney, Commodore, Submarine Squadron One, stated that "The performance of USS ''Greeneville'' during Captain Hankins' tour has been nothing but remarkable. It has been marked by top grades in both tactical and engineering readiness. Lee Hankins was handpicked by our leadership for the job as CO of ''Greeneville''. They got it right." Hankins was selected for promotion to Captain in 2005 and served as Commodore of Submarine Squadron One (COMSUBRON 1) based in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Captain Hankins later served as the Chief of Staff for the Commander, Submarine Forces Pacific.
Between 25 and 27 March 2006, a series of anti-submarine warfare exercises were held in Hawaiian waters that included ''Greeneville'';
Carrier Strike Group Nine
Carrier Strike Group 9 (CSG-9 or CARSTRKGRU 9) is a U.S. Navy carrier strike group. Carrier strike groups gain and maintain sea control as well as project naval airpower ashore. Commander Carrier Strike Group 9 (COMCARSTRKGRU 9 or CCSG 9) is res ...
; the nuclear-powered attack submarines , , , and , as well as land-based
P-3 Orion aircraft from patrol squadrons
VP-4
Patrol Squadron Four (VP-4) is a U.S. Navy land-based patrol squadron based at the Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Oak Harbor, Washington, which is tasked to undertake maritime patrol, anti-submarine warfare (ASW), and intelligence, surveillance ...
,
VP-9
Patrol Squadron 9 (VP-9) is a U.S. Navy patrol squadron with its homeport located at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. As of 2018, VP-9 is part of Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Ten, Commander, Naval Air Forces, Pacific.
The squadron was establ ...
, and
VP-47.
In October 2007, ''Greeneville'' left her home port of Pearl Harbor to conduct a Depot Modernization Period at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, ME. She returned to Pearl Harbor, HI in July 2009. In early 2011, ''Greeneville'' returned from a Western Pacific deployment under the command of CDR Carullo.
Awards
Awarded the 2016 "Battle E" award from Submarine Squadron One after a successful western Pacific deployment.
See also
*
Major submarine incidents since 2000
References
External links
* at Naval Vessel Register
*http://archives.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/asiapcf/east/02/11/japan.substrike.02/index.html
{{DEFAULTSORT:Greeneville (Ssn-772)
Los Angeles-class submarines
United States submarine accidents
Maritime incidents in 2001
Maritime incidents in 2002
Nuclear submarines of the United States Navy
Ships built in Newport News, Virginia
1994 ships
Submarines of the United States
Greeneville, Tennessee