SAN DIEGO -- The skipper of the carrier USS Ranger vigorously denied Tuesday that he condoned maltreatment and assault of the ship's prisoners, which the Navy contends contributed to the death a Michigan seaman aboard the warship last April.
Capt. Dan A. Pedersen came to the defense of his beleaguered command during the first day of a military hearing to determine if two of the ship's officers should stand court-martial for ignoring offenses against sailors under their command.
Seaman Recruit Paul Trerice, 20, Algonac, Mich., collapsed and died of heat exhaustion and cardiac arrest at Subic Bay, the Philippines, after performing punishment calisthentics aboard the Ranger. He had just gone into the correctional unit, following three days in the brig on a diet of bread and water. Trerice's death triggered a Navy investigation which resulted in the temporary closure of all fleet unit CCUs, and led to prisoner abuse and related charges against 25 Ranger crewmen, the two officers, and the skipper. Trerice's parents have filed a $4.5 million wrongful death suit against the Navy.
'You think I would have allowed a 'snake pit' to be run down there?' Pedersen asked.
Pederson, who earlier was cleared of dereliction of duty but censured for inefficient management, testified in Article 32 hearings for Capt. Lee Cargill, former Ranger executive officer, and Lt. Cmdr. Comer Williams, retraining officer.
The two officers were accused of dereliction of duty and rules violations for suppressing shipboard criticism of the way the Ranger's Correctional Custody Unit was run.
'I was flabbergasted at some of the allegations that have been made in this case,' Pederson said. 'Probably things happened there that should have happened, but it was isolated cases, not a matter of routine.'
'I wouldn't have allowed it (the alleged abuses in the CCU),' Pedersen said. 'I have a family, my children, my future ahead of me.'
Pedersen called Cargill 'the finest, most compassionate, dedicated, loyal, religious man I've ever met. I had full confidence in him.'
Pedersen testified that no reports were made to him or to Cargill of abuses in the CCU, where disciplinary cases were assigned for rehabilitation.
The Article 32 investigation-hearing for the two officers is similar to a civilian grand jury investigation and normally precedes a general court-martial in the Navy.
Cargill is accused of failing to obey orders to ensure humane care and treatment of inmates, failing to provide adequate supervision of CCU guards, and of negligence in failing to direct an investigation of alleged violations by guards of Navy and Ranger regulations.
Williams is accused of negligence in supervision and training of the CCU staff and failing to operate the facility according to instructions.
