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LIBERTY SHIP SS STEPHEN HOPKINS

The model on this page is 47" long. For a smaller model, please click here: SS John W. Brown

The SS Stephen Hopkins was a United States Merchant Marine Liberty ship that served in World War II.  She was the only US merchant vessel to sink a German surface combatant during the war.

On September 27, 1942, en route from Cape Town to Surinam, she encountered the heavily armed German commerce raider Stier and her tender the Tannenfels. Because of fog, the ships were only two miles apart when they sighted each other.

The Stephen Hopkins refused to surrender, and the Stier opened fire.  Although greatly outgunned, the crew of the Hopkins fought back, replacing the crew of the ship's 4 inch (102 mm) gun with volunteers as they fell. 

At 9:30 AM that Sunday morning, Stephen Hopkins' sailors saw a ship about the same size as the Hopkins firing at them. Explosions rocked the ship and machine gun fire was raking the decks.  One of the first shells killed two mariners as they stepped on deck. 

Chief Mate Richard Moczkowski gave orders to steer so the stern of the ship - with its 4 inch gun - would continue to point at the enemy ships and at the same time present the smallest target.

Seaman Barker, in charge of the 4 inch gun, pointed it directly at the waterline of the German raider, getting a shot off about every 45 seconds.  The shots were accurate, hitting the raider’s rudder and then damaging the raider’s forward guns.

In the forward tub, Wallace Breck, two other Armed Guard men, and Second Mate Joseph E. Layman, fired round after round at the smaller ship. All the guns aboard the Hopkins were firing as fast as they could be loaded and discharged. Hit after hit was scored on both enemy ships.

An enemy shell pierced the Hopkins' half inch steel hull, hitting directly in the engine room. Those above heard the explosion, then the roar of steam, as the black gang died at their posts.

The Stier was still putting shell after shell into the upper works of the Stephen Hopkins. The Tannenfels kept machine gunning the Hopkins.  The Armed Guard fired their machine guns right back.

Cadet O’Hara saw the 4-inch gun deserted and dead men on the deck around it. He loaded and fired all 5 shells left in the ready box, scoring hits with all five. A few moments later he was killed by a shell which exploded nearby.

The battle lasted about half an hour. A total of 35 shells hit the Stier and she was in as much of a shambles as the Hopkins. Both ships were on fire and sinking.

Commander Horst Gerlach ordered his crew to set detonating charges to scuttle the Stier. After an hour or so, the Stephen Hopkins also sank.  The 19 survivors gathered in one lifeboat, which had little food and water, and began a 2,200-mile 31-day journey to Brazil. Fifteen men survived. 

Captain Buck was posthumously awarded the Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal for his actions.  So was US Merchant Marine Academy cadet Edwin Joseph O'Hara, who single-handedly fired the last shots from the ship's 4-inch gun. O'Hara was the second cadet to receive this award, and the first to receive it posthumously. Navy reservist Lt. Kenneth Martin Willett, gun boss for the 4-inch gun, was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross.

The Liberty ships Paul Buck, Edwin Joseph O'Hara, and Richard Moczkowski, and the destroyer escort USS Kenneth M. Willett (DE-354) were named in honor of crew members of the Stephen Hopkins, and SS Stephen Hopkins II in honor of the ship itself.

This primarily wood model of the Liberty ship will have "STEPHEN HOPKINS" or ANY OTHER NAMES such as the Jeremiah O'Brien or John W. Brown per your request.  There's no charge for this service. Please indicate the name of your Liberty Ship during the check out process.

The model comes with a regular wooden base which is about 1/4 of the length of the model. The large base shown in the photos above is $400 extra. An acrylic top on top of the large base to cover the model is $1,200 plus $350 shipping.

47"long x 7.5" wide x 14.5" tall  $5,790 Shipping and insurance in the contiguous USA included. Other countries $500 flat rate. This model is in stock and can be shipped within five business days.

For a smaller model, please click here: SS John W. Brown

Cadet Edwin Joseph O' Hara fires shells at the Stier (Painting by W.M. Wilson)