The Right Thing

"The Right Thing" by Scott Waddle is a memoir centered on one of the most consequential moments in modern naval history: the collision between the USS Greeneville, a nuclear-powered submarine under Waddle's command, and the Japanese fishing vessel Ehime Maru off the coast of Hawaii in February 2001. The accident resulted in the deaths of nine people aboard the Japanese vessel, including four teenage students, and thrust Waddle into a public reckoning that ended his naval career and reshaped his understanding of accountability, faith, and personal redemption.

The book is structured as both a personal narrative and a reflection on leadership under crisis. Waddle recounts his rise through the ranks of the United States Navy, detailing the discipline, ambition, and sense of duty that defined his career prior to the collision. This background serves an important purpose: it establishes the stakes of what was lost when the accident occurred, not only in terms of human life but also in terms of the identity and purpose Waddle had built around his naval service. The early chapters are informative for readers unfamiliar with submarine operations, offering insight into the culture and pressures of commanding a nuclear submarine, though the writing remains accessible rather than overly technical.

The heart of the memoir lies in its unflinching account of the collision itself and its aftermath. Waddle does not shy away from describing the confusion, shock, and grief that followed the accident, nor does he minimize the scrutiny he faced from the Navy, the media, and the families of the victims. The book's title reflects its central theme: the effort to determine and ultimately accept responsibility, even when doing so meant confronting professional ruin and public condemnation. Waddle's decision to take accountability rather than pursue legal defenses that might have protected his career is presented as the moral crux of the narrative, and it is this choice that gives the book its emotional and ethical weight.

What distinguishes this memoir from a straightforward disaster account is its attention to the human dimension of tragedy. Waddle spends considerable time discussing his interactions with the families of the Ehime Maru victims, including his eventual trip to Japan to offer a personal apology. These sections are handled with restraint, avoiding melodrama while still conveying the emotional complexity of seeking forgiveness across cultural and personal divides. The book does not present this reconciliation as easy or complete; rather, it acknowledges the limits of apology and the lingering pain experienced by those who lost loved ones.

Religious and spiritual themes also play a significant role in the narrative. Waddle describes his faith as a central resource in navigating guilt, public disgrace, and the loss of his military identity. Readers looking for a purely procedural or legal account of the incident may find these passages more reflective than investigative, but they are consistent with the memoir's overall purpose: to explore how one rebuilds a sense of self after a catastrophic failure of judgment and circumstance.

Stylistically, the book is written in plain, direct prose that favors clarity over literary flourish. This straightforward approach suits the subject matter, allowing the events and their consequences to carry emotional force without excessive embellishment. At times, the pacing slows during introspective passages, particularly when Waddle reflects at length on his internal struggles, but these moments are generally balanced by the forward momentum of the surrounding narrative.

Overall, "The Right Thing" offers a candid and sobering account of a naval disaster and its long aftermath, distinguished by its focus on personal accountability and moral reflection rather than self-justification. It provides valuable insight into military culture, crisis leadership, and the complicated process of making amends after irreversible harm. While the book is unlikely to satisfy readers seeking a purely technical or legalistic breakdown of the collision, it succeeds as a personal account of consequence, humility, and the difficult path toward acknowledging wrongdoing. For readers interested in military memoirs, ethical decision-making under pressure, or the human cost of institutional failure, this book offers a thoughtful and honest perspective grounded in real events.