The USS North Carolina (BB-55) My all-time favorite warship. As an elementary school student in North Carolina, I donated nickels and dimes to save this ship back in the early sixties.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

The USS Joyce (DE-317)-- Part 1

Of there was ever a sister ship to another, it would have to be the USS Joyce to the USS Leopold, the ship that Clyde Ballenger died on in 1944.  It was also an Edsall-class destroyer escort.  This one was named for Ensign Philip Michael Joyce, KIA 19 February 1942 in the Japanese attack on Darwin.\, Australia.

It was built by the same builder as the Leopold, in the same place, only laid down sixteen days earlier, March 8, 1943, launched 26 May and commissioned 30 September 1943.  Again, it sure didn't take the country a long time to launch a ship.

Its first duty was escorting a 100-ship convoy tp North Africa, leaving 4 December 1943.  It returned in January 1944, and then was sent on the March 1st convoy with the USS Leopold.  The two ships attacked the German U-boat and the Leopold was sunk.  It was the Joyce that rescued the few survivors.

A Story of Two Sister Ships.  --GreGen

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