The Coast Guard At War

Transports and Escorts

Historical Section, Public Information Division
U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters
May 1, 1949

USS Joyce (DE-317)

Commissioning and Shakedown

The Coast Guard manned USS Joyce (DE-317) was built by the Consolidated Shipbuilding Corporation, Orange, Texas, and commissioned September 30, 1493. She was named for Ensign Philip Michael Joyce, USNR, who died in the loss of the USS Peary by enemy action at Port Darwin, Australia, on February 19, 1942. After brief calls at Galveston and New Orleans, for fitting out, the Joyce, in October 1943, underwent four weeks of shakedown and training exercises at Bermuda.

First Convoy Duty

On December 2, 1943, the Joyce sailed from Norfolk as part of the escort of a convoy bound for the Mediterranean. The crossing was made without incident. The escorts screened the troop and cargo ships through the Straits of Gibraltar, transferred them to a British escort group and put in at Casablanca. On the westward trip to New York the Joyce encountered the worst and most prolonged storm of her career.

1944

Sinking of Leopold

Following intensive training at Casco Bay, Maine, in late February 1944, Escort Division 22 assembled consisting of the Flagship USS Poole, with the Peterson, Harveson, Joyce, Kirkpatrick, and Leopold. These were to help guard fast convoys between the United States and United Kingdom. On the night of March 9, 1944, 400 miles south of Iceland, the Leopold, while investigating a radar target, was torpedoed amidships, and later broke in two and sank. The Joyce, four miles distant at the time, was designated rescue ship. Twice, while dead in the water picking up the twenty-eight survivors, the Joyce got underway precipitately to evade torpedoes, the screws of which were detected by sonar. Eleven of the crew received the Navy and Marine Corps Medal, and the commanding officer, Lt. Comdr. Robert Wilcox, USCG, and two men received commendation from the commander in chief, Atlantic Fleet, for their outstanding performance of duty on this occasion.

Sinks Sub

An opportunity to retaliate for the loss of the Leopold was afforded the Division on the next outward voyage. On the morning of April 16, 1944, while taking her station in the convoy, the SS Pan Pennsylvania, one of the world's largest gasoline tankers, was torpedoed and set aflame. After picking up thirty-one survivors, including the master, the Joyce located the submarine by sonar and brought it to the surface with one pattern of eleven depth charges. With the aid of the Peterson and the USS Gandy (De-764), the submarine's guns were quickly subdued. Her crew thereupon abandoned and scuttled her. Twelve of the submarine's company were picked up by the Joyce, including the commanding officer. Lt. Comdr. Wilcox received the Legion of merit and the USSR Order of the Fatherland War, 1st Class, and Lt. John L. Bender, USCRG, Nelson W. Allen, SOM 2/c, USCGR, and Winston T. Coburn, SOM 2/c, USCGR, received the Bronze Star Medal.

1945

Eleven Trips Across Atlantic

The Joyce made eleven round trips across the atlantic, celebrating VE Day in mid-ocean on her last return voyage. Her ports of call were Casablanca (12/22/43), Londonderry (3/11/44, 4/25/44, 6/10/44, 7/21/44, Loch Ewe, Scotland and Londonderry (8/31/44), Liverpool (10/17/44), Glasgow, Scotland (12/4/44), Falmouth, England (1/21/45), Portsmouth (1/25/45), Le Havre, France (3/11/45), Southampton (3/12/45), and Birkenhead, England (4/28/45).

An Act of Heroism

While the ship was fitting out at Bayonne, New Jersey, on May 19, 1945, Walter G. Ruding, F 1/c, USCGR, of the Joyce, with considerable risk, rescued a yard worker from drowning. He was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal.

In the Pacific

The Joyce, with Escort Division 22, departed New York on June 4, 1945, for the Pacific Area, undergoing training en route at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. VJ-day found the Joyce still at Pearl Harbor. Her first Pacific mission was the escorting of troop carriers for the initial occupation landing at Sasebo, Japan, on September 22, 1945. While engaged in her second Pacific missions, the escort of troops from Manila to Wakayama, Japan, the Joyce was ordered home and sailed from Leyte Gulf on November 4, 1945, for New York, where she arrived on December 10. Her last voyage was to Green Cove Springs, Florida, where she arrived January 24, 1946, to join the Inactive Reserve Fleet. Here her Coast Guard crew as removed May 1, 1946.

Pacific Ports Visited

Her ports of call after leaving New York on her Pacific mission were Guantanamo, Cuba (6/10/45), Coco Solo, Canal Zone (6/22/45), San Diego, California (7/1/45), Pearl Harbor, T.H. (7/11/45), Saipan, Mariana Islands (9/11/45), Sasebo, Japan (9/22/45), Leyte, P.I. (10/2/45), Manila, P.I. (10/24/45), Leyte, P.I. (11/2/45), Pearl Harbor, T.H. (11/15/45), San Diego, California (11/23/45), Coco Solo, Canal Zone (12/3/45), New York (12/10/45) and Green Cove Springs, Florida (1/24/46).

Commanding Officers

The following officers have commanded the Joyce:

Lt. Comdr. Robert Wilcox, USCG, 9/30/43-10/5/44
Lt. Comdr. Benjamin P. Clark, USCG, 10/5/44-8/14/45
Lt. Comdr. Hubert G. Ball, USCGR, 8/14/45-12/18/45
Lt. Comdr. John F. Thompson, Jr., USCG, 12/18/45-1/3/46
Lt. Charles W. Scharff, USCG, 1/3/46-3/26/46
Lt Comdr. Emmett P. O'Hara, USCG, 3/26/46-5/1/46