USS Greeneville checked for possible
damage after rough arrival at Saipan
By Donovan Brooks, Guam
bureau chief
FINEGAYAN — The USS Greeneville, on its first deployment at sea after
accidentially sinking a Japanese fishing boat in February, is being inspected in Guam for
damages it may have suffered during a Saipan port call.
Navy spokeswoman Lt. Cmdr. Kelly Merrell said Wednesday that the Pearl Harbor-based
Greeneville is being inspected at the Navy’s Submarine Refit Site THREE after
apparently grazing a shallow area off Saipan on Monday.
Rough waters caused submarine skipper Cmdr. David Bogdan to abort the Saipan port entry
and to try to leave the area when the incident occurred, Merrell said.
Saipan harbormaster Tony Cabrera said a storm had caused large waves and strong winds
around Saipan, and he had canceled ferry service Monday with neighboring Tinian.
Cabrera said he had to send a small boat to guide the Greeneville into port because the
harbor tugs could not safely leave the port. "The weather was very, very bad,"
Cabrera said, adding that the pilot could not board the submarine from the small boat
because of the high swells.
Cabrera said communications with the submarine were garbled, so he was surprised when
the Greeneville appeared to be attempting to turn around in the narrow channel leading to
the port. The channel is 400 feet wide with a depth of 40 feet. The submarine is 362 feet
long, with a draft of 31 feet.
Cabrera said that if Bogdan had asked for assistance from the pilot, who remained in
the small boat with a radio, he would have been advised to proceed to a turning basin.
Instead, the ship continued its maneuvering and left the area. Cabrera said better
communication between the Navy and his section would help prevent accidents.
Merrell said the Navy is investigating the incident.
The Greeneville was on its first deployment after repairs following an accident off
Hawaii Feb. 9, when it sank the Japanese fishing vessel Ehime Maru during a demonstration
of an emergency surfacing procedure.
Nine people were declared missing and presumed dead following the accident.
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