USS Joyce (DE-317) was originally commissioned as a US Coast Guard built for the U.S. Navy during World War II. She served in the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and provided destroyer escort protection against submarine and air attack for Navy vessels and convoys. During its World War II service, on two different engagements with enemy submarines, the Joyce rescued survivors of the tanker SS Pan- Pennsylvania and its sister ship . Joyce received one battle star for its service during World War II.
Namesake
Philip Michael Joyce was born on 23 October 1920 in St. Louis, Missouri. He enlisted in the Navy on 11 July 1940. Selected for an appointment as a midshipman during his preliminary training, he was commissioned Ensign on 28 February 1941. He served on until 10 August when he reported to for duty in the Pacific. Following the outbreak of war between the United States and the Empire of Japan, Peary suffered heavy damage during a Japanese air attack while moored at Cavite, Philippines on 10 December 1941. Despite this and two subsequent attacks, Peary reached Darwin, Australia, effected repairs and commenced antisubmarine patrols. While anchored in Darwin harbor 19 February 1942 Peary was destroyed by five bombs which struck it during the Japanese Bombing of Darwin. Peary sank and Joyce was among those killed.
Construction and commissioning
She was laid down 8 March 1943 by the Consolidated Steel Corp., Orange, Texas; launched 26 May 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Harold T. Joyce, mother of Ensign Joyce; and commissioned 30 September 1943.
World War II North Atlantic operations
After shakedown off Bermuda, Joyce joined Escort Division 22 for transatlantic convoy escort duty. Sailing from Norfolk, Virginia, 4 December 1943, she helped escort a 100-ship convoy to North Africa. She returned to New York from Casablanca 31 January 1944, then departed 1 March as part of the escort for a fast convoy bound for Derry, Northern Ireland. While steaming 400 miles south of Iceland on the night of 9 March Joyce braved two attacks from a German U-boat to rescue 28 survivors from the stricken , which was torpedoed while investigating a radar contact. Joyce steamed at top speed for Derry and arriving 11 March, transferred Leopold's wounded. A week later she departed for New York in company with a westbound convoy, which reached the East Coast 28 March.
Sinking of German Submarine U-550
Joyce departed New York 15 April for her second escort run to Northern Ireland. While screening for a straggler the following morning she was ordered to direct rescue operations for the gasoline tanker , which was torpedoed and set aflame while taking station in the convoy. After picking up 31 survivors, including the tanker's captain, Joyce detected a submarine by sonar at 0950 and pressed home an attack. She dropped a deadly pattern of 13 depth charges which forced to the surface, bow first, some 2,000 yards to her stern. A screening escort, , opened fire and rammed the after section of the U-boat. Joyce, Gandy, and shelled the submarine, silenced her deck guns and forced the hapless U-550 to surrender. Joyce ordered the Germans to abandon ship, but before a boarding party could seize the captured prize, the Germans scuttled her. Only 40 minutes after Joyce had detected her, she plunged stern first beneath the waves. Joyce rescued and took prisoner 13 survivors, including the U-boat's skipper, escorted the convoy safely to Derry 26 April, and returned in convoy to the United States where she arrived New York 12 May. During the next year Joyce conducted eight more escort voyages for convoys bound from New York to Great Britain; she returned to New York from her last convoy run 13 May 1945.
Transferred to the Pacific Fleet
Joyce departed New York 4 June and steamed for ASW and gunnery training with units of Escort Division 22 in the Caribbean. Sailing from Guantánamo Bay 20 June, she transited the Panama Canal the 23d and steamed via San Diego, California, for Pearl Harbor where she arrived 11 July for duty with the Pacific Fleet. She conducted ASW exercises in the Hawaiian operating area until 28 August when she sailed for Saipan Island and Sasebo, Japan, as escort for a convoy of amphibious landing ships.