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Navsource Online: Destroyer Escort Photo Archive



Ship's patches courtesy of Mike Smolinski

USS Hooper (DE 1026)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign:
N - K - P - U
Tactical Voice Radio Call: "Michigan Valley"

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row: National Defense Service Medal
Second Row: Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal w/ 2 stars - Vietnam Service Medal w/ 3 stars - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal


"Sans Peur"
(Without Fear)
Specifications:
Class: Courtney
Type: SCB No. 72 / 1954 - 55
Number in Class: 10
Displacement: 1,314 tons (light), 1,877 tons (full)
Length: 308' (wl), 314' 6" (oa)
Beam: 36' 9" (extreme)
Draft: 19' 6" (draft limit)
Propulsion: 2 Foster-Wheeler boilers; 1 De Laval geared turbine; 20,000 shp; 1 shaft
Speed: 26 kts
Range: 6,000 nm @ 12 knots
Complement: 12 / 161
Guns: 4 - 3"/50 (76mm) Mk33 Guns (2x2)
ASW Weapons: 1 Mk 108 ASW rocket launcher, 6 - 12.75" (324mm) Mk 32 torpedo tubes (2x3) / Mk 46 torpedos
Radars: AN/SPS-5 (surface), AN/SPS-6C (air)
Sonars: AN/SQS-4
Fire Control Systems: Mk63 Gun FCS, Mk105 Underwater Battery FCS
Hooper (DE 1026) Building and Operational Data:
  • 04 January 1956: Keel laid at the Bethlehem-Pacific Coast Steel Corp., San Francisco, Cal.
  • 01 August 1957: Launched and christened, sponsored by Miss Elizabeth Hooper, daughter of Rear Admiral Hooper
  • 18 March 1958: Commissioned at San Francisco, Lcdr. J. K. Leslie in command, assigned to Escort Squadron 3 at San Diego, Cal.
  • 01 February 1968: CortRon 3 disestablished, transferrred to DesRon 31 (CruDesFlot 9)
  • 30 August 1968: Assigned to NRF, 11th Naval District at Long Beach as a unit of ResDesRon 27
  • 02 July 1973: Replaced as NRF training ship at Long Beach by USS Hollister (DD 788)
  • 06 June 1973: Decommissioned after 15 years and 2⅔ months of service, struck from the NVR
  • 20 February 1974: Sold for scrapping
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image
    Size Image Description Contributed
    By And/Or Copyright
    Hooper
    0602102601

    Hooper

    11k Stanford Caldwell Hooper was born on 16 August 1884 in Colton, Cal. and graduated from the Naval Academy in 1905. Serving in various ships of the fleet, but always with an interest in the then new art of the "wireless", Hooper was appointed Fleet Radio Officer in 1912. A radio observer during the first part of World War I, he headed the Radio Division of the Bureau of Engineering until America's entry into the war. Hooper commanded USS Fairfax (DD 93) during 1917-18 while on convoy duty, and received the Navy Cross. Following the war he became the guiding force behind the development of radio communications and electronics in the Navy, serving in various technical posts until his retirement in 1943. Rear Admiral Hooper was retained on active duty until 1945, and held offices with civilian firms in the electronics field until his death on 06 April 1955. He was the recipient of many awards for his work in radio, and is honored annually by the Navy through the Rear Admiral S. C. Hooper Trophy, given to the outstanding electronics division in the Naval Reserve.

    USS Hooper (DE 1026) (1958-1973) was the first ship to be named in his honor.
    Mike Smolinski
    Clifton, N.J.

    Navsource DE/FF/LCS
    Archive Manager
    Hooper
    0602102601
    55k 18 March 1958: Commissioning Day Ken Sargent
    via Terry Gann
    Hooper
    0602102603
    131k 1958: San Francisco Bay

    Allied Photographers, San Francisco, Cal.)
    Robert M. Cieri
    Hooper
    0602102614
    59k circa 1958: The Pacific Ocean

    (Official U.S. Navy Photo; From "Jane's Fighting Ships, 1958 - 59")
    Bob Hurst
    Worksop, Nottinghamshire,
    England, United Kingdom
    Hooper
    0602102615
    106k circa 1959: The Pacific Ocean - USS Hooper (DE 1026) underway.

    (U.S. Navy Photo, from "Jane's Fighting Ships" 1960-61)
    Hooper
    0602102616
    453k circa 1960: The Pacific Ocean - USS Hooper (DE 1026) pictured off the fantail of USS Kearsarge (CVS 33). The destroyer escort is pulling into position to receive fuel from the carrier while underway.

    (U.S. Naval Historical Center photo #KN-1961 from the Naval History and Heritage Command)
    Hooper
    0602102604
    44k circa 1961: Welcome Aboard Pamphlet photo Ken Sargent
    via Terry Gann
    ***Evans / Hooper***
    0602102317
    89k 04 March 1961: San Diego, Cal. - "Enemy Sub Killers" Nestled alongside USS Kearsarge (CVS 33) at San Diego, are three modern destroyer escorts and three destroyers of the ComCruDesPac force. The carrier and her group of 'greyhounds' make up a Navy Hunter-Killer Group now operating in the Pacific. Included are (outboard in) USS Bridget (DE 1024), USS Evans (DE 1023), and Hooper, all of CortRon Three; USS Lofberg (DD 759), USS Taussig (DD 746) and USS John A. Bole (DD 755), all of DesDiv 72."

    (Official U.S. Navy Photograph from the Hoyt "Bud" Colburn Collection)

    NOTE: Carol is the author of Radioman: An Eyewitness Account of Pearl Harbor & World War II in the Pacific (Thomas Dunne Books / St. Martins Press, 2008); ISBN-10 031238694X and ISBN-13 978-0312386948. Check on www.carolhipperson.com for availability.
    Carol Edgemon Hipperson
    www.carolhipperson.com
    Hooper
    0602102605
    128k 24 January 1963: Preparing to refuel from USS Chemung (AO 30) in the Western Pacific. Fred Juvenile
    via Terry Gann
    Hooper
    0602102606
    81k From 1964 Cruise Book Terry Gann
    Hooper
    0602102607
    62k 1964: Moored at Yokosuka, Japan
    Hooper
    0602102620
    178k undated: the Pacific Ocean - USS Hooper (DE 1026) photographed as she departs San Diego bound for the Pacific. This shot looks like a ship portrait from Marine Photos. Mike Smolinski
    Clifton, N.J.

    Navsource DE/FF/LCS
    Archive Manager
    Hooper
    0602102617
    384k mid-1960's: the Pacific Ocean - USS Hooper (DE 1026) after receiving a dash helicopter deck in the 1960s.

    (U.S. Naval Historical Center photo #NH 91920 from the Naval History and Heritage Command)
    Hooper
    0602102608
    69k March 1966: Kaohsiung, Taiwan

    (Photo ©Richard Leonhardt)
    Richard Leonhardt
    Bethlehem, Pa.
    ***Evans / Hooper***
    0602102312
    252k 1966: Subic Bay, Philippine Islands - Moored to USS Piedmont (AD 17), in a nest with USS Evans (DE 1023), Hooper, USS Jenkins (DD 447), and USS Samuel N. Moore (DD 747), all to starboard. Lee Noland
    Hooper
    0602102611
    228k April 1967: off Pearl Harbor - Hooper departing Pearl Harbor to join the group heading for West Pac. Darryl Baker
    PNCM, USNR (ret.)

    Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum
    Hooper
    0602102612
    198k April 1967: off Pearl Harbor - Four of USS Hornet's task group on the way to WESTPAC in April 1967. Left to right: Hooper, USS Taylor (DD 468), USS Davidson (DE 1045) and USS Bronstein (DE 1037). Photo taken from USS Evans (DE 1023) port side. USS Bridget (DE 1024) and USS Walker (DD 517) would have been to Evans' starboard side.
    Hooper
    0602102618
    251k 23 April 1967: the Pacific Ocean - USS Hooper (DE 1026) Underway at sea.

    (U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command photo #NH 107511 by PH1 C.T. Elliott, USS Hornet (CVS-12) from the Naval History and Heritage Command)
    Mike Smolinski
    Clifton, N.J.

    Navsource DE/FF/LCS
    Archive Manager
    Hooper
    0602102613
    242k May 1967: The Sea of Japan - Hooper replenishing from USS Aludra (AF 55). Bow of USS Evans (DE 1023) is to the right. Darryl Baker
    PNCM, USNR (ret.)

    Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum
    Hooper
    0602102609
    84k 1971: Long Beach, Cal. - Tied up at the Mole Pier.

    (taken by crewmember Steve Knox)
    Joe Schneider
    Hooper
    0602102619
    251k 1974: Kearny, N.J. - A flotilla of ships, including ex-Hooper (DE 1026), and ex-USS Oregon City (CA 122), awaiting scrapping at the site of the former Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company.

    (Photo from Reddit / Warship Porn)
    Mike Smolinski
    Clifton, N.J.

    Navsource DE/FF/LCS
    Archive Manager
    Hooper
    0602102610
    162k If you were stationed at RTC Great Lakes in the late 60's you would have had most of your instruction via video link or prerecorded programs. This painting of USS Hooper appeared behind the instructors. I went through Great Lakes in July 1969 and the painting was still there in 1975 when I was on a two week Reserve Duty assignment. Steve Loomis
    Phoenix, Ariz.

    Hooper Memorabilia
    Lighter
    (original)
    Hooper

    Courtesy of
    Mike Smolinski
    Lighter
    (Zippo)
    Hooper

    Courtesy of
    Mike Smolinski
    Lighter
    (Konwal)
    Hooper

    Courtesy of
    Mike Smolinski

    Hooper History
    View the USS Hooper (DE 1026) DANFS history entry located on the Naval History and Heritage Command web site.
    View the Hooper Supplemental History from Ken Sargent

    Hooper's Commanding Officers
    Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler & Ron Reeves
    Dates of Command Commanding Officers
    1.)  18 Mar. 1958 - 1960 Lcdr. John Kenneth Leslie
    2.)  1960 - 1961 Lcdr. Thomas Joseph Quarton (MidSch '44) (Anaheim, Cal.)
    3.)  1961 - 31 Dec. 1962 Lcdr. John Turner Wells
    4.)  31 Dec. 1962 - 1964 Lcdr. John Warren Walden (USNA '52) (Camden, N.J.)
    5.)  1964 - Oct. 1966 Lcdr. Charles Edwin Gurney III (USNA '52) (Coronado, Cal.) (ret. as Radm.)
    6.)  1966 - 1968 Lcdr. Francisco Alfonso Velasques-Suarez
    7.)  1968 - 1969 Lcdr. William Miley Fogarty (ROTC '58) (Des Moines, Ia.) (ret. as Radm.)
    8.)  1969 - 1970 Lcdr. Clarence E. McRight Jr.
    9.)  1970 - 25 Feb. 1972 Lcdr. Thomas Francis Howley (OCS '59) (Wheeling, W.V.)
    10.) 25 Feb. 1972 - 06 Jul. 1973 Lcdr. Boyden Tracy Steele (USNA '61) (South Fort Mitchell, Ky.)

    Crew Contact And Last Known Reunion Information

    2013 at San Diego, Cal. in conjunction with
    Escort Squadron (CortRon) 3 Association
    Association Contact Name: Stan Virden
    Phone: (H) 251-967-4287 or (C) 251-209-1984
    E-mail: Stan Virden
    Note About Contacts

    Contact information is compiled from various sources over a period of time and may, or may not, be correct. Every effort has been
    made to list the newest contact. However, our entry is only as good as the latest information that's been sent to us. We list only
    a contact for the ship if one has been sent to us. We do NOT have crew lists or rosters available. Please see the Frequently Asked
    Questions section on Navsource's Main Page for that information.


    Additional Resources

    Tin Can Sailors
    The U.S. Navy Memorial
    Destroyer Escort Sailors Association
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    The Destroyer History Foundation
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    This Page Created And Maintained By Mike Smolinski
    All pages copyright Navsource Naval History
    by Paul R. Yarnall, All Rights Reserved.
    Page Last Updated: 26 October 2022