USS Hopping ( DE - 155 ) USS " Hopping " ( DE - 155 / APD - 51 ) , a of the United States Navy , was named in honor of Lieutenant Commander Hallsted L . Hopping . " Hopping " was launched at the Norfolk Navy Yard , Portsmouth , Virginia , on 9 March 1943 , sponsored by Mrs . H . L . Hopping , widow of Lieutenant Commander Hopping ; and commissioned on 21 May 1943 , with Lieutenant Commander F . D . Giambattista in command . Service history . The new destroyer escort conducted shakedown training out of Bermuda and after escorting an LST convoy to Norfolk , Virginia , made a voyage to Casablanca , where she arrived on 2 September 1943 . There " Hopping " formed with a new convoy and returned to New York on 25 September . In the year that followed " Hopping " made nine convoy crossings from New York to United Kingdom ports , bringing vital supplies for the war in Europe . While en route to Britain on 3 May 1944 a sister ship , , was torpedo ed and seriously damaged as the escort vessels stalked a U - boat . " Hopping " helped to drive off the marauder with numerous depth charge attacks , and then took " Donnell " in tow . Struggling for two days in heavy seas , she managed to bring her sister ship within range of British salvage ships off Ireland , which towed her into Derry . " Hopping " returned to Frontier Base , Staten Island , during October – November 1944 , where she was converted to a " Charles Lawrence " - class high speed transport . Reclassified APD - 51 , she underwent shakedown training in Chesapeake Bay and departed Norfolk on 20 December 1944 to take part in the Pacific War , then entering its climactic stage . The new transport steamed via the Panama Canal and San Diego to Pearl Harbor , anchoring there on 15 January 1945 . There she trained with Underwater Demolition Team s , the Navy ' s famed " frogmen " , until 13 February , when she got underway for the Philippines . " Hopping " arrived at Leyte Gulf on 4 March to prepare for what was to be the last great amphibious campaign of the war , Okinawa . " Hopping " sailed for Kerama Retto on 21 March with UDT - 7 embarked , and during the early days of the campaign carried out many reconnaissance and demolition assignments . When not putting frogmen ashore , the ship acted as screening ship for larger units off Kerama Retto , and while on this duty assisted in splashing several aircraft the night of 28 / 29 March . As Marines landed on Okinawa itself on 1 April , " Hopping " turned to screening and patrol duties , fighting off numerous Japan ese air attacks . While in Buckner Bay on a reconnaissance operation on 9 April , the ship engaged a concealed enemy shore battery , and while silencing the gun , sustained several damaging hits . As a result she proceeded to Ulithi for repairs , arriving there on 23 April 1945 . " Hopping " was soon back in the thick of the fighting at Okinawa , however , returning on 17 May to resume screening duties as the air and land battles raged . She remained off Okinawa continuously until the island was secured fighting off countless mass attacks by the desperate Japanese . The ship sailed on 8 August with a convoy bound for Leyte , and while in the historic gulf on 15 August learned of the surrender of Japan . The ship ' s first occupation duty was to aid in the evacuation of former prisoners of war from Japan . She arrived in Japan on 11 September and disembarked over 100 former Navy and Marine prisoners at Guam on 19 September . Following convoy duty and anti - mine work in Japanese and Philippine waters , " Hopping " got underway from Tokyo Bay on 24 November 1945 with returnees for the United States . She arrived San Diego on 11 December . " Hopping " departed San Diego on 17 December and after spending short periods at Charleston , South Carolina , and Norfolk , arrived at Green Cove Springs , Florida , on 27 April 1946 . She decommissioned on 5 May 1947 ; entered the Atlantic Reserve Fleet ; and remained berthed with the Texas group until she was struck from the Navy List in September 1964 , and sold on 15 August 1966 to Boston Metals Company , Baltimore , Maryland . Awards . " Hopping " received one battle star for World War II service .