USS Hopewell (DD-681)

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Branch

U.S. Navy

Members

About USS Hopewell (DD-681)

USS Hopewell (DD-681) was a Fletcher-class destroyer commissioned by the United States Navy in 1943. She served with distinction in the Pacific Theater during World War II, participating in major operations such as the invasions of the Philippines, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa, where she provided fire support and screened larger vessels from enemy attacks. After the war, Hopewell was decommissioned but later recommissioned for service during the Korean War, where she conducted shore bombardments and patrols. The ship continued her service through the early years of the Vietnam War before being decommissioned in 1970 and ultimately scrapped in 1972.

Unit Members

Dan Mcginnis

U.S. Navy

USS Hopewell (DD-681)View Profile

Nicholas Willis

U.S. Navy

USS Hopewell (DD-681)View Profile

Photos

FR Jose Ferrera III

U.S. Navy • 1981

FR Jose Ferrera III

U.S. Navy • 1981

FR Jose Ferrera III

U.S. Navy • 1981

FR Jose Ferrera III

U.S. Navy • 1981

About USS Hopewell (DD-681)

About this Unit

Historical Facts

• Namesake: USS Hopewell (DD-681) was named after Pollard Hopewell, a midshipman who was killed at the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812. • Class: She was a Fletcher-class destroyer, one of the most successful and numerous destroyer classes ever built for the US Navy during World War II. • World War II Service: Commissioned in 1943, Hopewell participated in major Pacific campaigns, including the Marianas, Leyte Gulf, and Okinawa operations. • Kamikaze Attack: On May 14, 1945, while supporting operations off Okinawa, USS Hopewell was hit by a kamikaze, causing significant damage and casualties, but the crew managed to save their ship. • Supporting Landings: She provided fire support for assaults at Saipan, Tinian, and Iwo Jima, bombarding enemy positions to aid advancing Marines. • Postwar Service: After World War II, USS Hopewell was decommissioned in 1947 but recommissioned for the Korean War in 1951, serving in bombardment and escort roles. • Korean War Action: During the Korean War, she supported United Nations operations, including the blockade of the Korean coast and shore bombardments. • Vietnam War: USS Hopewell also saw service in the Vietnam War, conducting patrols and gunfire support missions along the Vietnamese coast in the 1960s. • Awards: Over her career, Hopewell earned 10 battle stars—seven for World War II, two for the Korean War, and one for Vietnam service. • Final Fate: Decommissioned in 1970, USS Hopewell was sunk as a target off the coast of California in 1972, ending nearly three decades of distinguished service.