USS Greeneville ( SSN - 772 ) USS " Greeneville " ( SSN - 772 ) , a and is the only ship of the United States Navy to be named after Greeneville , Tennessee . History . The contract to build the ship 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 , and commissioned on 16 February 1996 , with Commander Duane B . Hatch in command . 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 . The " Greeneville " is probably best known for colliding with a Japanese fishing vessel off the coast of Oahu in February 2001 . Incidents . The " Ehime Maru " incident . On 9 February 2001 , while conducting an emergency main ballast tank blow off the coast of Oahu while hosting several civilian " distinguished visitors " , mainly donors to the Battleship Missouri Memorial , the " Greeneville " struck the commercial Japanese fishing vessel " 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 the " 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 Commander Waddle was forced to retire and given an honorable discharge . 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 secondary propulsion motor 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 . Then , 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 , 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 . Commander Lindsay R . Hankins was allowed to remain in command and went on to have a successful command tour with his XO Lt . Cdr Mark D . Pyle . Capt . Hankins went on to be awarded the coveted Admiral James Stockdale Award , the highest honor that can be bestowed upon a Navy commanding officer . Lt . Cdr Pyle also went on to have the honor of being bestowed with the John Paul Jones 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 is now serving as the Chief of Staff for the Commander , Submarine Forces Pacific . Between 25 – 27 March 2006 , a series of anti - submarine warfare exercises were held in Hawaiian waters that included the " Greeneville " ; Carrier Strike Group Nine ; the nuclear - powered attack submarines , , , and , as well as land - based P - 3 Orion aircraft from patrol squadrons VP - 4 , VP - 9 , 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 .