Robert Brown Hopgood

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Robert Brown Hopgood, Lieutenant, Junior Grade, U.S. Navy, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Senior Pilot of a Navy PBY5 Navy Patrol Plane in Patrol Squadron SEVENTY-THREE (VP-73), in action against an enemy submarine in Skerja Fjord, near Reykjavik, Iceland, on 20 August 1942. The enemy submarine was sighted on the surface while the Navy Patrol Plane was on a regular air coverage flight over a convoy. Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Hopgood maneuvered his plane skillfully and accurately dropped five depth charges which straddled the submarine and exploded close aboard on each side just abaft the conning tower. In the face of the enemy’s anti-aircraft fire Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Hopgood proceeded to maneuver his plane over the submarine and strafe it with machine gun fire; he then led a destroyer from the convoy to the scene. As the destroyer was approaching, the enemy abandoned the sinking submarine. A large number of prisoners were taken by the destroyer. The initiative and resourcefulness of Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Hopgood, in the face of enemy anti-aircraft fire and undesirable weather conditions, resulted in the certain destruction of the enemy submarine and capture of many survivors. His conduct throughout this action reflects great credit upon himself, and was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

Bureau of Naval Personnel Information Bulletin No. 345 (December 1945)