SOUTH CHINA SEA – The USS Stethem (DDG 63) Sailor missing since Aug. 1 has been identified as Lt. Steven D. Hopkins.



Hopkins, a Texas native who received his commission at the Citadel in May 2009 and reported to Stethem in July 2017, was reported missing and assumed overboard Aug. 1 at about 9 a.m. At the time the ship was conducting routine operations 140 miles west of Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines.



U.S. Navy, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and Peoples Liberation Army (Navy) ships and aircraft suspended search efforts at 3 p.m. local Aug. 4. The search lasted nearly 80 hours and covered roughly 10,000 square nautical miles.



Hopkins’ previous tours include USS Ramage (DDG 61), USS Normandy (CG 60), and Operational Test and Evaluation Force.



The incident is currently being investigated.

NEWS INFO Date Taken: 08.05.2017 Date Posted: 08.04.2017 23:44 Story ID: 243839 Location: U.S. 7TH FLEET AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY Web Views: 1,183 Downloads: 0 Podcast Hits: 0 PUBLIC DOMAIN This work, Navy identifies missing Stethem Sailor, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.