The United States Navy has relieved the three senior officers of its nuclear-powered submarine, USS South Dakota, following a reported grounding incident at sea.
The development, which occurred last month, involved the removal of the submarine’s commanding officer, Cmdr. Dan Goodwin, its executive officer and its chief of the boat, the highest-ranking enlisted sailor aboard a submarine.
Connecticut-based newspaper, The Day, first reported the dismissals, stating that Goodwin was removed from his position on October 14. The other two senior personnel were also relieved of their duties on the same day.
The incident has prompted concerns from two Democratic members of the US House of Representatives, who accused the Navy of failing to inform the House Armed Services Committee about the removal of the submarine’s leadership.
In a letter addressed to Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle, Rep. Joe Courtney of Connecticut and Rep. Adam Smith of Washington expressed dissatisfaction with the delay in communicating the development to Congress.
Courtney is the ranking member of the House Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, while Smith holds the same position on the House Armed Services Committee.
The lawmakers referenced The Day’s report, noting that nearly a month had passed without the committee receiving official notification of the leadership changes.
They described the failure to provide timely information as unacceptable, particularly in view of previous naval accidents involving American military vessels.
“In the wake of the collisions affecting USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62), USS John S. McCain (DDG 56), and the grounding incidents involving USS Hartford (SSN 768) and USS Connecticut (SSN 22), clear and timely communication with Congress was necessary to make informed decisions to ensure personnel safety and readiness of the fleet,” Courtney and Smith wrote.
The lawmakers identified a grounding incident involving the USS South Dakota as the reason behind the officers’ removal.
According to The Day, the submarine encountered an unspecified navigational threat in September while operating at sea.
Details of the incident reportedly emerged through an October report involving a sailor aboard the vessel, who received the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal for his actions.
The award certificate was signed by Capt. Thomas Flaherty, commodore of Submarine Squadron 4.
A social media post by the sailor’s family explained that the submarine was submerged when he identified a potential navigational danger involving shallow waters or the ocean floor.
The sailor reportedly raised the alarm, allowing other crew members to take action and prevent the submarine from running into danger.
However, it remains unclear whether the incident caused any damage to the vessel or resulted in injuries among its crew.
In their letter, Courtney and Smith said the lack of information from the Navy had left several important issues unresolved.
They questioned the possible effects of the incident and the circumstances surrounding the dismissal of the submarine’s leadership, particularly regarding the vessel’s structural condition, the safety of its personnel and possible shortcomings in training and operational procedures.
The lawmakers also expressed concern that the Navy’s failure to communicate the incident had raised doubts about its commitment to transparency and cooperation with Congress.
Goodwin had served as the submarine’s commanding officer for less than four months before his removal, having assumed the position on June 30.
The USS South Dakota is a Virginia-class nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine designed for stealth operations, surveillance and other military missions.
Commissioned in 2019, the vessel is among the relatively newer submarines in the US Navy fleet and operates under Submarine Squadron 4.
The Navy has not publicly provided further details about the circumstances surrounding the incident or the reasons for removing the submarine’s three senior leaders.
