9 February 2021

An Open Letter to The Families of

Takeshi Mizuguchi, Student Uwajima Fisheries High School

Yusuke Terata, Student Uwajima Fisheries High School

Toshiya Sakashima, Student Uwajima Fisheries High School

Katsuya Nomoto, Student Uwajima Fisheries High School

Jun Nakata, Instructor Uwajima Fisheries High School

Hiroshi Makizawa, Instructor Uwajima Fisheries High School

Hirotaka Segawa Chief Radioman, EHIME MARU

Toshimichi Furuya, Chief Engineman EHIME MARU

Hiroshi Nishida, Engineman EHIME MARU

and

Captain Hisao Onishi and Crew of the EHIME MARU

Students and Staff of the Uwajima Fisheries High School

From Commander Scott Waddle USN (Ret)

Former Captain of the USS GREENEVILLE (SSN 772)

Dear all,

Today marks the 20th anniversary of the collision between the USS
GREENEVILLE (SSN772) and the Uwajima Fisheries High School training vessel
EHIME MARU.

On February 9th, 2001 at approximately 1:43 PM local Hawaiian time the

submarine I commanded performed a (training) emergency surface maneuver,
collided with the EHIME MARU from underneath, and sank the vessel within 10
minutes. The collision caused the loss of life of nine and injured nine (students
and crew members). The EHIME MARU would sink to an ocean depth of 2,000
feet resting upright and intact. The EHIME MARU took with her four students,
two instructors, and three crewmen. Of those that perished that afternoon the
bodies of eight of nine would be recovered months later. The body of Takeshi
Mizuguchi would remain lost at sea.

The purpose of this letter is to first and foremost apologize to the families
who lost loved ones, apologize to those aboard the EHIME MARU who were
injured, apologize to Captain Hisao Onishi and his crew and apologize to the five
students who were classmates of those who perished.

Secondly, I wanted to make it clear that as the former captain of the USS
GREENEVILLE (SSN772) I alone am solely responsible for the accident. The
collision was avoidable and I failed in my duties as the captain to prevent it.

Let me make it clear, at no time, is this letter intended to solicit empathy or

sympathy from the reader. The families of those that died and the survivors of the
accident warrant that and not me.

Though I am an American citizen I want you to know I was born in Misawa,

Japan May 20, 1959, at Misawa Air Force base. I am proud of the fact I was born
in Japan. The morning I was delivered the air that filled my lungs was from my
birth country. I was cared for by Tama, a Japanese friend of our family who lived
next door to us in Misawa. My first spoken words were Japanese. At the age of 27,
I would climb mount FUJI and marvel at the splendor of the country where I was
born. The day nine Japanese mariners on the EHIME MARU died, part of me died
with them. I felt I had betrayed those that died and their families.

I have carried the shame, sorrow, burden, and remorse every day since then
and will do so until the day I die.
 …

Know that my crew and I were not able to rescue survivors due to the rough
seas that washed over the deck of my submarine along with the diesel fuel that
floated on the ocean surface from the EHIME MARUs ruptured fuel tanks. From
the bridge of my submarine, I decided not to help to avoid jeopardizing the safety
of the survivors and that of my crew.

An hour after the US Coast Guard rescued the survivors, I would learn 9
people had perished. Hearing that report was the most devastating thing I have
ever experienced.

When my submarine returned to port at the Pearl Harbor Naval Submarine

base the next morning, Saturday morning 10 February 2001, I learned from my
wife and 13-year-old daughter that four 17-year-old students, two instructors, and
three crewmen had died. It was a moment the gravity of the situation hit me.
Fired from my job Saturday afternoon I would go home to my family. I did not
know what to do. I knew nine families were traumatized and grieving having been
told the news of their loved ones.

On the afternoon of 10 February, I was fired as the captain. I returned to the

USS GREENEVILLE and spoke to my crew one last time. I told my shipmates we
owed it to the family members to find out why this terrible accident happened. I
asked my men when the investigation begins to tell the truth and answer every
question to the best of their ability. I asked them to not embellish their story and to
say, “I don’t know.” if they were unsure of an answer.

Families arrived in Honolulu on Sunday the 11th. I called the Commander

Submarine Pacific Public Affairs officer (PAO) and asked him to request from the
Commander in Chief Pacific Fleet PAO that I be afforded the chance to meet with
the family members face-to-face to offer an apology. An hour later I was told my
request had been denied and that I was the last person the families would want to
see.
I should have tried harder to make my case to visit the families but did
not. I knew the importance of giving those you offend or harm a sincere and
prompt apology.
 I am truly sorry I did not try harder.

The first apology I gave was via a press release drafted by my Navy and
civilian attorneys. I questioned the word “regret” instead of “apologize” that was
used in the release. I was counseled this was the best word to use. In my heart, I
knew it was wrong. In the end, I made another mistake by not saying, “I apologize
and am sorry.” This action caused more anger and emotional distress to the
victims' families.

After weeks of search and rescue efforts failed to locate the missing, the
families returned to Japan to await the Court of Inquiry (COI).

I contacted the Japanese Consulate and requested a meeting with the

Consulate General. Wearing a civilian suit and not my military uniform I chose to
go as Scott Waddle and not a military officer. I was greeted by Consulate
General’s staff. The Consulate General and I shared tea and talked about my
childhood in Japan. After tea, I rose from my chair, stood before the Consulate
General, bowed deeply, offered the letters (each addressed to the nine families,
sealed by wax and bound with ribbon), and apologized for the harm I had caused.

I told the Consulate General the accident had greatly embarrassed and
brought shame to The United States of America, the United States Navy, the
United States Submarine Force, the City of Greeneville, Tennessee, my crew, and
myself.

When I departed the Japanese consulate, the Consulate General and his staff
returned my salute and bowed as a gesture of great honor and respect. That
evening the letters flew to Japan on a Japan Airline flight.

The first week in March the first group of family members would return to
Honolulu, Hawaii to witness the court of inquiry. The morning of 7 March, the
third day of the Court of Inquiry (COI) I entered the courtroom and saw family
members seated behind a railing that had separated me and members of the court. I
nodded to one of the family members in an attempt to acknowledge their presence
and to say nonverbally that I was sorry.

Lynn Matsuoka, a court artist, saw this and immediately approached me to

caution me and let me know that I had made a grave mistake. Lynn told me I
needed to apologize to the families before I could speak with them. I asked Lynn
to help me arrange for a meeting with the families to allow me the opportunity to
apologize the correct way.

Friday afternoon 9 March I met with families for the first time. I bowed
before them and apologized communicating with the assistance of an interpreter. I
listened to them and answered questions. I made the promise I would testify
without immunity. I owed the families the truth and I knew it was the right thing
to do. At the end of our meeting, Mrs. Naoko Nakata, the widow of Jun Nakata,
gave me a personal letter. The contents of the letter were made public in the local
newspapers that afternoon.

On March 14th I would have the opportunity to meet the second group of
families that attended the COI. I would apologize, listen to them and answer
questions. The families asked me to testify. I assured them that I would and I did.

The COI would identify mistakes and errors that were made which resulted
in the tragic loss of life. Members of my crew had taken the stand and testified
before the court. My shipmates told the truth which made me proud.

I knew the honorable and right thing to do was to take the stand and do what
I had asked my shipmates to do. The families would hear from me as promised.

I will respond to parts of Mrs, Naoko Nakata’s letter to me.

Mrs. Nakata wrote: “Dear captain, I was meant to share every sadness and
suffering with my husband. Your submarine sank him. You will share the
burden of the accident. You said you will bring your sorrows to your grave. But
my husband was sent to the grave without knowing what happened to him.”
 I share the burden. My actions took your husband from you and your
children. I am truly sorry.

Mrs. Nakata wrote: “Don't judge the demerits and the merits, and please explain
why it happened. Figure out what you should have done and what you didn't do.
Please reveal the cause of the accident, make an effort to prevent it from
happening again, and make proposals to that effect.”

The COI was thorough and identified mistakes and errors that were made

At the end of the day, it was my fault and mine alone. I am responsible and
accountable for what happened and no one else.

The United States Navy conducted a thorough review of the COI report and
testimony. The past 20 years lessons from this accident have been taught
throughout the Navy, all Navy warfare disciplines, submarine training schools, all
phases of the submarine officer training, and at the United States Naval Academy.

Onboard United States submarines, those responsible for the safe operation
and navigation of submarines (officer and enlisted) review the details of the
accident once a year and others incidents every 3 months in the Collision and
Grounding seminars.

Mrs. Nakata wrote: “You being the highest-ranking officer of the submarine which
took the lives of the nine should make these proposals. I feel strongly that you
should, dear captain.”

“You will leave the Navy and I think someday address the public. When you do,
you should speak the truth. You should answer all the questions and give out all
the facts without making any deals, and make sure there are clear changes to
prevent another incident like this one.”

I am confident I have fulfilled and will continue to carry out this request.

For the past 20 years, I have shared the story of this accident and my
failures/shortcomings to businesses and audiences around the globe.

I have devoted my time and effort to help others understand how to

mitigate risk in the workplace and at home. My students and audiences learn how
to protect their coworkers and make smart decisions that protect employees, their
businesses, and communities.

I have worked with clients both in the United States and overseas. Many
are members of Fortune 1000 companies, educators, law enforcement
professionals, first responders, health care professionals, industry leaders,
countless Army and Air Force Active Duty and Reserve Units, the United States
Air Force Academy (3 annual leadership symposiums), the Merchant Marine
Academy, and one Navy ROTC unit.

The audiences have been as few as 3 and as large as 21,000 (collectively the
Faith Hope Church Honolulu Hawaii in 2003).

I am committed to sharing the story not for personal gain but in hopes to
prevent accidents like this from happening again.

The message to the recipients is clear. Mistakes and failures will

happen. When they do, do what is right. Be accountable for your actions, tell the
truth, atone to those you harm or hurt. Be a person of integrity, be accountable and
responsible for all that you do.

Mrs. Nakata wrote: “I'd like to tell my son and daughter someday that daddy's
accident was a sad incident but that it made the Hawaiian ocean a safe place for
all people around the world and ships like the Ehime Maru to come to Hawai'i. He
taught us that safety and security are very important. We'll go to Hawai'i
someday, the three of us."

Today Mrs. Nakata’s children are adults. Her son should be 25, perhaps
with a family of his own. Her daughter should be 20.

I think about the children often and hope they knew their father is a HERO.

Kazuo Nakata the father of Jun Nakata told a story about his son to a
reporter.

Before Jun Nakata departed for his fifth voyage, he told his father Kazuo,
“If something happens to the ship, Dad, I would let all the students go first. I
would never escape before the students." Kazuo responded to his son. “It depends
on the
circumstances. Say you were rescued and the students weren't -- I don't think you
would be blamed for that.”

When Kazuo Nakata told this story, he was 55. Today he would be 75 years
old. I hope he is alive today.

His final comment to the reporter as he pulled out a green plaid

handkerchief, as his eyes welled with tears, was to say "But the kid's (Jun) not the
kind to let the students not go before him."

I closing, I leave you with Kazuo Nakata’s story in hopes the reader will
remember and mourn the victims of this tragedy.

Please pray for their families.

Pray that the soul of Takeshi Mizuguchi will continue to protect mariners
that sail on top of and below the surface of the Hawaiian waters and that his soul
will rest in peace.

Sincerely and very respectfully,

Scott Waddle
Commander USN (Retired)