The American Spectator

Reader Mail

Sunk Costs

6.11.08 @ 12:01AM

WE SKUNKED THEIR BATTLESHIP
Re: Hal G.P. Colebatch's Stephen Hopkins vs. the Germans:

As a graduate of Mass Maritime Academy and have many Kings Point graduates as friends, I am proud to read this article and hope that these Merchant Marine Seaman do receive their long overdue metals. Thank you once again for this story!
-- George R. Kalat
MMA Class of 1945

This a story of the old America! When men were men and women were women and ne'er the twain would meet save on the horizontal.

Today if this scenario existed, the Skipper of the Hopkins would have to radio the U.S. and describe what he was looking at. Then someone in the bowels of the Pentagon would have to identify the so-called enemy ship.

That done, a factotum would scurry to Ms. Pelosi's office and ask her permission to engage the enemy. Ms. Pelosi would ask him/her to come back in a few hours. She "needs to see if we've talked to the Germans."

Meantime, our intrepid messenger runs to Harry Reid's. Harry says he "has to contact the UN Law of the Sea Commission and advise them on the contents of the shells we propose to fire and only if their permission is granted. Then we'd have to check with the Czar of All Things Environmental to see if shooting contravenes our own pollution laws and if not, get a Senate committee to approve the requested actions by the Hopkins. By the way do you know what is in those shells?"

Jump back to the Atlantic... the Hopkins is aflame, its crew dead or wounded slipping in the fiery gore running down the side of the quickly sinking ship. With a mighty metallic groan the mortally wounded ship and her dead and dying crew slip beneath the waves, her guns never fired.

Aftermath: The appropriate Admiral is hauled before Congress where he is castigated and ridiculed. His reputation is entirely besmirched, his family shamed and his career ended and with a pension forfeit.

The Congressional report squarely lays the blame on this Admiral "for his abject failure in providing three days notice to the Congress of the need to shoot so the appropriate approvals may be gained. This dereliction of duty resulted in the loss of a ship and the lives of the entire crew, who by the way, we strongly support."

In a footnote the report also finds that the shooting by the Germans resulted from the provocation of "the Captain of the Hopkins in turning his stern guns towards them."

That's how we do it today.
-- Jay Molyneaux
North Carolina

I don't think the tale is quite as forgotten as you think. I read this story when I was a boy. It was published in one of my American Heritage book subscriptions. If I remember right, Cadet O'Hara was the son of
another Navy man. His father had taught him that in a naval gun battle, you should always fire at the other ship's water line. Supposedly it was that lesson that was responsible for the fatal damage to the Stier.

I'm not sure I remember the details correctly, (I'm sure other knowledgable Navy Spectator fans will correct me) but I've never forgotten the name of the liberty ship involved. It is a great "David vs. Goliath" story of heroism.
-- Paul Doolittle
CDR (USN-Ret)

I am reminded of Lord Nelson's dictum: You can never condemn a captain for engaging the enemy. Nelson would be proud of the Stephen Hopkins, her captain and crew.

I am also reminded of the recent disgraceful surrender of Nelson's putative descendants who cravenly surrendered to Iranian gunboats.
-- Richard Rude

Letter to the Editor

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