The command triad of the Virginia-class attack submarine USS South Dakota (SSN-790) was relieved of duty last month following a grounding incident, according to a formal statement released Thursday by two senior members of the House Armed Services Committee.
The commanding officer, the executive officer, and the chief of the boat were officially removed from their positions on Oct. 14, citing a “loss of confidence in their ability to command.” The revelation came to light through a letter released by Rep. Joe Courtney (D-Conn.), Ranking Member of the House Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, and Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee.
Cmdr. Dan Goodwin, who had been serving as the submarine’s commanding officer, was among those relieved. Reports from The Day confirmed that his tenure ended abruptly following the incident. While the Navy initially provided limited details regarding the personnel changes, the congressional correspondence explicitly links the mass relief to a grounding event, marking a significant disciplinary action for the crew of the highly sophisticated fast-attack submarine.
The South Dakota, commissioned in 2019, is one of the Navy’s most advanced undersea assets, equipped with enhanced acoustic quieting and specialized payload capabilities. Groundings are considered serious navigational failures within the submarine community, often prompting immediate investigations into command oversight, watch-standing procedures, and operational protocols.
In their letter, the lawmakers requested further transparency from the Navy regarding the specific circumstances of the incident, as well as the corrective measures being implemented to ensure the safety of the vessel and its crew moving forward. The incident has raised questions regarding leadership standards and training readiness within the submarine force.
“The relief of a commanding officer and their senior leadership team is a solemn decision,” a Navy spokesperson noted in a brief comment following the disclosure, confirming the Oct. 14 date of the relief but declining to provide further specifics regarding the ongoing investigation. The Navy typically does not comment on the details of non-judicial punishment or the specific findings of administrative investigations until they are finalized.
Following the relief of the command triad, the Navy has appointed interim leadership to oversee the South Dakota as it undergoes an assessment of its operational status. The submarine is currently moored, and the service is working to determine the extent of any physical damage sustained during the grounding, as well as the broader implications for the ship’s upcoming deployment schedule.
The incident marks the latest in a series of leadership shakeups across the fleet this year, highlighting the military’s ongoing focus on maintaining rigid standards of professional conduct and operational safety for its nuclear-powered vessels. Further details are expected to emerge as the Navy’s formal investigation concludes.
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