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Navsource Online: Destroyer Escort Photo Archive
Ship's patch courtesy of
Mike Smolinski

USS Joyce (DE 317)


Flag Hoist / Radio Call Sign:
N - H - R - T
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row: American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
Second Row: European-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal w/ 1 star - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal
Specifications:
Class: Edsall
Type: FMR (geared diesel, Fairbanks-Morse reverse gear drive, 3" guns)
Displacement: 1200 tons (light), 1590 tons (full)
Length: 300' (wl), 306' (oa)
Beam: 36' 10" (extreme)
Draft: 20' 6" (draft limit)
Propulsion: 4 Fairbanks-Morse Mod. 38d81/8 geared diesel engines, 4 diesel-generators, 6000 shp, 2 screws
Speed: 21 kts
Range: 9,100 nm @ 12 knots
Armament: 3 x 3"/50 Mk22 (1x3), 1 twin 40mm Mk1 AA, 8 x 20mm Mk 4 AA, 3 x 21" Mk15 TT (3x1), 1 Hedgehog Projector Mk10 (144 rounds), 8 Mk6 depth charge projectors, 2 Mk9 depth charge tracks
Complement: 8 / 201
Joyce (DE 317) Building and Operational Data:
  • 08 March 1943: Keel laid by the Consolidated Steel Corp., Orange, Tex.
  • 26 May 1943: Launched and christened, sponsored by Mrs. Harold T. Joyce, mother of Ensign Joyce
  • 30 September 1943: Commissioned, Lcdr. R. Wilcox, USCG, in command
  • 16 April 1944: Joined with Peterson (DE 152) to attack German submarine U-550 after it was rammed by Gandy (DE 764) off Nantucket Shoals in the Atlantic. Sub sunk with depth charges and gunfire.
  • 01 May 1946: Decommissioned at Green Cove Springs, Fla. after 2 years and 7 months of service, assigned to the Florida Group, Atlantic Inactive Reserve Fleet
  • 13 September 1950: Reclassified and converted to DER 317 at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, Cal.
  • 28 February 1951: Recommissioned at San Francisco, Cal., Lcdr J. P. McGrady, in command,
  • 02 June 1951: Reassigned to Newport, R.I. as a unit of Escort Squadron 10
  • 20 March 1952: Reassigned to Escort Squadron 16
  • July 1957: CortRon 16 reassigned to Pearl Harbor, Hi.
  • 17 June 1960: Decommissioned at the Long Beach Naval Shipyard, Long Beach, Cal. after 9 years 3½ months of of service
  • 01 December 1972: Struck from the NVR with a total of 11 years and 10½ months of of service
  • 11 September 1973: Sold for scrapping
    (Photo from the U.S. Naval Academy Yearbook; The Lucky Bag, Class of 1938.)
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By And/Or Copyright
    Joyce 36k Philip Michael Joyce was born 23 October 1920 in St. Louis, Mo., the eldest son of Harold T. and Huldah Joyce. He enlisted in the Navy 11 July 1940. Selected for an appointment as a midshipman during his preliminary training, he was commissioned Ensign 28 February 1941. He served in USS Langley (CV 1) until 10 August when he reported to USS Peary (DD 226) for duty in the Pacific.

    Following the outbreak of war between the United States and Japan, Peary suffered heavy damage during an enemy air attack while moored at Cavite, Philippines 10 December. Joyce was with the Peary when she was bombed in Cavite bay. During the air attacks on the way to Australia, his captain recorded that 'Ensign P. M. Joyce USNR was instrumental in saving the ship by his continuous and fearless observation of the attacking planes from an exposed station. Despite this and two subsequent attacks, Peary reached Darwin, Australia, effected repairs and commenced antisubmarine patrols. While anchored in Darwin harbor on 19 February 1942 she was destroyed by five bombs which struck her during a devastating, enemy raid. Though fighting to the end, Peary went down; and Ens. Joyce perished in a holocaust that only 1 officer and 30 men survived.

    USS Joyce (DE 317) (1943-1960) was the first ship to be named in his honor.

    (U.S. Navy photo #NH 102449 from the Naval History and Heritage Command)    		 Mike Smolinski
    Clifton, N.J.

    Navsource DE/FF/LCS
    Archive Manager
    Joyce 137k undated wartime image James Rocheleau
    Joyce 396k undated: The destroyer escort USS Joyce (DE 317) in harbor during World War II, after being fitted with additional 40mm guns amidships.

    (U.S. Navy photo #NH 106967 from the collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command.)    		 Bob Hurst
    Worksop, Nottinghamshire,
    England, United Kingdom
    Joyce 175k 08 July 1950: Mare Island Naval Shipyard, San Francisco, Cal. - Amidships looking forward plan view of USS Joyce (DE 317) under conversion. Note that much of her topside equipment has been removed including her mast. She was under conversion from 27 June 1950 to 8 March 1951.

    (U.S. Navy photo #DE-317-6592-7-50)    		 Darryl Baker
    PNCM, USNR (ret.)

    Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum
    Joyce 166k 08 July 1950: Mare Island Naval Shipyard, San Francisco, Cal. - Amidships looking aft plan view of Joyce under conversion. Note that much of her topside equipment has been removed.

    (U.S. Navy photo #DE-317-6594-7-50)
    Joyce 166k 16 February 1951: Mare Island Naval Shipyard, San Francisco, Cal. - Radm F. E. Beatty, Area Commander Mare Island, speaks at the commissioning of the USS Joyce (DER 317). Capt B. E. Manseau (Commander of Mare Island) is the officer behind and to the left of Radm Beatty.

    (U.S. Navy photo #DER-317-8219-2-51)
    Joyce 166k 28 February 1951: Mare Island Naval Shipyard, San Francisco, Cal. - Bow on view of Joyce departing Mare Island.

    (U.S. Navy photo #DER-317-8407-2-51)
    Joyce 166k 28 February 1951: Mare Island Naval Shipyard, San Francisco, Cal. - Stern view of Joyce departing Mare Island.

    (U.S. Navy photo #DER-317-8411-2-51)
    Joyce 166k 09 March 1951: Mare Island Naval Shipyard, San Francisco, Cal. - Forward plan view of Joyce at Mare Island.

    (U.S. Navy photo #DER-317-8513-2-51)
    Joyce 166k 09 March 1951: Mare Island Naval Shipyard, San Francisco, Cal. - Aft plan view of Joyce at Mare Island.

    (U.S. Navy photo #DER-317-8516-2-51)
    Joyce 215k circa 1952: Newport, R.I. - Joyce swinging on a mooring buoy alongside Chester T. O'Brien (DE 421)

    (U.S. Navy Photo).    		 Bob Hurst
    Worksop, Nottinghamshire,
    England, United Kingdom
    Joyce 98k undated, as DER 317 Max Selby
    Joyce 271k 29 July 1953: Narragansett Bay, R.I. - USS Joyce (DER 317) underway off Newport, Rhode Island, on Wednesday, 29 July 1953.

    (U.S. Naval Historical Center photo #80-G-625696 from the Naval History and Heritage Command)    		 Mike Smolinski
    Clifton, N.J.

    Navsource DE/FF/LCS
    Archive Manager
    Joyce 81k undated, as DER 317 James Rocheleau
    Joyce 54k Summer of 1953: Kingston, Jamaica

    (Photo ©James Rocheleau)
    Joyce 21k Summer 1955: Newport, R.I.
    Joyce Memorabilia
    Ship's
    Lighter
    Joyce
    Courtesy of
    Mike Smolinski    		 Thanksgiving
    Menu, 1958
    Joyce
    Courtesy of
    Bill Reidy    		 Welcome Aboard
    Pamphlet, 1958
    Joyce
    Courtesy of
    Bill Reidy
    Joyce History
    View the USS Joyce (DE 317) DANFS history entry located on the Naval History and Heritage Command web site.
    View the official War History of USS Joyce as submitted by the ship at war's end.
    Joyce's Commanding Officers
    Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler & Ron Reeves
    Dates of Command Commanding Officers
    1.)  30 Sep. 1943 - 05 Oct. 1944Lcdr. Robert Wilcox, USCG (Comm. CO) (Washington, D.C.)
    2.)  05 Oct. 1944 - 14 Aug. 1945Lcdr. Benjamin Peter Clark, USCG (Dallas, Tex.)
    3.)  14 Aug. 1945 - 18 Dec. 1945Lcdr. Hubert G. Ball, USCGR (New York, N.Y.)
    4.)  18 Dec. 1945 - 03 Jan. 1946Lcdr. John Fawdry Thompson Jr., USCG (Tilton, N.H.) (ret. as Radm.)
    5.)  03 Jan. 1946 - 28 Mar. 1946Lt. Charles W. Scharff, USCG (Hampton Bay, N.Y.)
    6.)  28 Mar. 1946 - 01 May 1946Lcdr. Emmett P. O’Hara, USCG (Decomm. CO) (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
    7.)  28 Feb. 1951 - .. Feb. 1952Lcdr. J.P. McGrady (Recomm. CO)
    8.)  .. Feb. 1952 - .. Nov. 1952Lcdr. David J. Bryan Jr.
    9.)  .. .... .... - .. .... ....Lcdr. Norman (Breezy) Chaffee Bohan (USNA '44) (Port Ewen, N.Y)
    10.) .. .... .... - Fall 1958Lcdr. John Peter Pabarcus (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
    11.) Fall 1958 - 17 Jun. 1960Lcdr. Gordon Buster Brown Tribble (prior enl. '40, OCS '44) (Honolulu, Hi.)
    12.) .. Jan. 1960 - 17 Jun. 1960Lcdr. Kenneth Clark (KC) Holm (Bozeman, Mont.)
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    Last Known Reunion:
    November 2006 at San Antonio, Tex.
    Contact Name: James J. Rocheleau
    Address: 2902 Memorial Drive
    City/State: Two Rivers, Wis. 54241
    Phone: (920) 793-4617
    E-mail: Voice of the Joyce
    Note About Contacts

    Contact information is compiled from various sources over a period of time and may, or may not, be correct. Every effort has been
    made to list the newest contact. However, our entry is only as good as the latest information that's been sent to us. We list only
    a contact for the ship if one has been sent to us. We do NOT have crew lists, rosters, or deck logs available. Please see the
    Frequently Asked Questions section on NavSource's Main Page for that information.

    Additional Resources
    Tin Can Sailors
    The U.S. Navy Memorial
    Destroyer Escort Sailors Association
    The Destroyer Escort Historical Museum
    The Destroyer History Foundation
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    This Page Created And Maintained By Mike Smolinski
    All pages copyright Navsource Naval History
    by Paul R. Yarnall, All Rights Reserved.
    Page Last Updated: 22 January 2020