Scott Waddle

Scott Waddle, a native of Austin, Texas, graduated from the United States Naval Academy in May 1981 earning a Bachelors of Science degree in Chemistry. Following graduation he was commissioned an Ensign and embarked on a twenty-year career in the submarine force where he served aboard Atlantic Fleet Trident Ballistic Missile boats Alabama and Kentucky and Pacific Fleet fast attacks San Francisco and Greeneville.

In June 1998, after earning a Masters of Science degree from the National Defense University in Washington D.C., he was hand picked from a highly competitive field of two hundred fifty officers to command the USS Greeneville, an improved Los Angeles class fast attack submarine. In March of 1999 he relieved as the Commanding Officer of the Greeneville in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

On the fateful day of February 9, 2001, Commander Waddle's life was forever changed when he gave the order to perform an emergency surface maneuver . . .
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Failure is not Final

An inspirational leader with uncompromising ethical standards, Commander Scott Waddle's life was forever changed when he gave the order to perform an emergency surface maneuver that inadvertently caused the nine-thousand ton submarine to collide with the Ehime Maru, a 500 ton Japanese fishing vessel, killing nine people on board. Against the advice of his attorney and the Navy's direction, he took responsibility for the accident. Commander Waddle's compelling story about a tragic ordeal and the choices that followed is a lesson about integrity, faith and resilience.

The Right Thing

When a U.S. nuclear submarine collided with a Japanese fishing vessel in the spring of 2001, the story made international headlines. Navy Commander Scott Waddle, former captain of the U.S.S. Greeneville, was at the center of the controversy. This is the firsthand, never-before-published account of that fatal moment and the heartbreaking avalanche of events that followed-and still continue nearly two years later. Unlike many in the public eye (i.e. fallen politicians and corrupt CEOs) who have denied or made excuses for their behavior, Waddle boldly stood up and took total responsibility for his actions and the actions of his crew. His steadfast faith in God guided him through this tremendous ordeal. His deep remorse over what happened compelled him to reach out to the victims' families. Waddle's pursuit of integrity against all odds is not only dramatic reading, but provides an inspiring challenge to anyone facing difficult choices in any area of life.