By ROBERT A. HAMILTON
Day Staff Writer, Navy/Defense/Electric Boat
Published on 8/13/2005

Groton — Three more retired admirals have thrown their support behind an effort to save the Naval Submarine Base, including William J. Crowe, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1985-89, who served as Ambassador to England after he retired from the Navy.

The admirals wrote a letter to the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission stating the plan to close the base “is based on substantially flawed assumptions and analysis, as well as a force structure plan that assumes unacceptable risk.”

Closing the base “would critically injure the capabilities and readiness of the United States' submarine force, the Navy and the Armed Forces at large,” they conclude.

“There hasn't been enough analytical thought put into this decision,” Crowe said of the Pentagon recommendation to close the Groton base. “We old submariners in the Navy feel pretty strongly about this.”

Also signing a letter were retired Adm. Kinnaird R. McKee, a former head of the Naval Reactors program, who wrote his own two-page letter condemning the Pentagon plan; and Adm. Thomas Fargo, who recently retired as head of the U.S. Pacific Command.

Their letter was released on the same day commissioners met with five retired Navy admirals, including three submariners, to discuss the Pentagon base-closure recommendations. Details of the meeting were not released.

McKee's letter notes that submariners can be killed not just by the enemy, but by the very environment where they operate, in the crushing depths of the ocean, so it's important they are have top-notch training in strategy, tactics, navigation, damage control, nuclear reactor safety and a host of other specialties.

“Each is important, and Submarine Base New London is where it all begins,” McKee wrote. “It is the nation's only true Center of Excellence in Submarine Warfare ... abandonment of New London would remove one of the keystones in the entire edifice.”

Crowe noted that eight other prominent retired admirals have already weighed in on the side of keeping Groton open — although none of them served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs, the uniformed head of the military services.

“That's just because there aren't any others who are still alive,” Crowe joked.

But in a more serious vein, he said he hopes that it can make a difference.

“Once you get a little momentum behind something like this, I don't know if it can be arrested,” Crowe said.

State officials, however, said they were thankful for the support, particularly with the base-closure commission slated to release its findings in about 10 days.

“This is tremendously significant,” said U.S. Sen. Christopher J. Dodd, D-Conn. “These aren't just any Navy brass, they are some of the most distinguished admirals and foremost experts in U.S. Navy requirements and submarine capabilities. Clearly there is a growing chorus from those that know Naval issues best who understand that the Pentagon's recommendations are flawed.”

“These distinguished naval officers, who clearly recognize the value of the Submarine Center of Excellence, further strengthen our case that to close the base would be a grave error in planning for our future security as a nation,” said U.S. Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, D-Conn.

If the commission takes Groton off the list, the base will stay open; if it takes no action, the president has already indicated he will endorse the base realignment and closure or BRAC list, and Congress is likely to allow it to pass into law.

“The value of our base cannot be overstated,” said Gov. M. Jodi Rell. “More importantly, the risk to the nation of closing it cannot be underestimated, especially at a time when the future size of our submarine force has yet to be determined. These admirals are recognized experts on naval operations and I believe the BRAC commissioners will listen to them.”

U.S. Rep. Rob Simmons, R-2nd District, said the commission is likely to be swayed by the opinion of officers whose last jobs in the service required them to take big-picture views of national security needs.

r.hamilton@theday.com