USS Turner Joy facts for kids
_underway_at_sea_on_9_May_1964_(NH_98257).jpg) |
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 United States |
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| Namesake | Charles Turner Joy |
| Ordered | 27 January 1956 |
| Builder | Puget Sound Bridge and Dredging Company |
| Laid down | 30 September 1957 |
| Launched | 5 May 1958 |
| Acquired | 27 July 1959 |
| Commissioned | 3 August 1959 |
| Decommissioned | 22 November 1982 |
| Stricken | 13 February 1990 |
| Motto |
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| Status | Donated as a museum and memorial to the Bremerton Historic Ships Association and berthed at Bremerton, Washington on 10 April 1991. |
| Badge | _jacket_patch_from_1964.png) |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Forrest Sherman-class destroyer |
| Displacement |
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| Length | 407 ft (124 m) waterline, 418 ft (127 m) overall |
| Beam | 45 ft (14 m) |
| Draft | 22 ft (6.7 m) |
| Propulsion | 4 × 1,200 psi (8.3 MPa) Babcock & Wilcox boilers, Westinghouse steam turbines; 70,000 shp (52 MW); 2 × shafts |
| Speed | 32.5 knots (60.2 km/h; 37.4 mph) |
| Range |
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| Complement | 15 officers, 218 men |
| Armament |
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The USS Turner Joy (DD-951) was a powerful destroyer in the United States Navy. It was named after Admiral Charles Turner Joy. This ship was one of 18 destroyers in the Forrest Sherman class.
Commissioned in 1959, the Turner Joy spent its entire time serving in the Pacific Ocean. It played a big part in the Vietnam War. The ship was also one of the main vessels involved in the famous Gulf of Tonkin incident.
After being taken out of service in 1982, the Turner Joy became a museum ship. You can visit it today in Bremerton, Washington.
Contents
Building and Launching the Ship
The Turner Joy was built by the Puget Sound Bridge and Dredging Company in Seattle. Its construction started on September 30, 1957. The ship was launched into the water on May 5, 1958. Mrs. C. Turner Joy, the admiral's wife, was the sponsor for the launch. The ship officially joined the Navy on August 3, 1959, at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington.
Early Missions Around the World
After some initial training, the Turner Joy began its duties in early 1960. It served as a lead ship for destroyer groups. Based in Long Beach, California, it took part in exercises to hunt for submarines.
In May 1960, the ship sailed to the western Pacific Ocean. It stopped in places like Pearl Harbor and Guam. The Turner Joy even helped with air-sea rescue during President Dwight D. Eisenhower's trip to Asia. Later, it visited Bangkok, Thailand.
The ship also patrolled the Taiwan Strait in July 1960. This was during a tense time when China was shelling islands near Taiwan. This showed America's support for its allies. After more exercises near Japan, the ship returned home in November 1960.
Over the next few years, the Turner Joy had maintenance work and more training. It went on another trip to the Far East in 1962. During this time, it did exercises with other ships from the U.S. 7th Fleet and allied navies. These missions took it to the Sea of Japan and the South China Sea. The ship returned to the United States in June 1963.
The Gulf of Tonkin Incident
A Tense Patrol in 1964
On March 13, 1964, the Turner Joy left Long Beach for another important mission in Asia. It joined a group of ships near the Philippines. Then, it sailed through the South China Sea to Japan. In July 1964, the Turner Joy began patrols off the coast of Vietnam. A guerrilla war had been happening there for a while.
First Attack on USS Maddox
On August 2, 1964, another American destroyer, the USS Maddox, was attacked. Three torpedo boats from the Vietnam People's Navy (VPN) attacked the Maddox. The Maddox fired back, and planes from the aircraft carrier USS Ticonderoga also attacked the torpedo boats. The Turner Joy quickly headed to help the Maddox. By the time it arrived, the torpedo boats were gone.
Reports of a Second Attack
On August 3, the Turner Joy was ordered to join the Maddox for another patrol. On August 4, the Turner Joy's radar showed what looked like small, fast boats approaching. The destroyers asked for air support from the Ticonderoga. As night fell, the radar echoes suggested VPN torpedo boats were closing in. The Turner Joy reported seeing torpedo wakes. It sped up, moved sharply to avoid torpedoes, and began firing at the radar blips. For over two hours, the Turner Joy fired many shells. Planes from the Ticonderoga also fired at the supposed boats.
Later Discoveries About the Incident
Reports at the time claimed some enemy boats were sunk or damaged. However, a sailor on the Maddox later reviewed radar and sonar records. He concluded that there were no attacks on August 4, 1964. Evidence from Vietnam after the war also supported this. It's possible that bad weather and strange radar conditions in the Gulf of Tonkin caused the radar echoes. This might have made the crew of the Turner Joy think they were under attack, especially after the events two days earlier.
America's Response
Even with the confusion, the "Tonkin Gulf incident" led to a strong American response. The next day, planes from the carriers Constellation and Ticonderoga launched attacks. They hit North Vietnamese bases and an oil storage depot. This destroyed a lot of North Vietnam's oil. More importantly, the incident led the United States Congress to pass the Tonkin Gulf Resolution. This resolution gave the U.S. the legal power to send more military forces to Vietnam. It marked the start of a long and costly war for the United States. The Turner Joy would serve many times during this conflict.
Vietnam War Missions
After the events of August 1964, the Turner Joy continued its patrols. It returned to Long Beach in October. The ship then had maintenance and training. In July 1965, it sailed back to Asia.
Supporting Troops on Land
In September 1965, the destroyer moved into the Gulf of Thailand. It took part in some of the first missions to fire its guns in support of troops on shore. After a short break, the ship returned to the "gunline" in October. This time, it was off South Vietnam's southeastern coast. Its guns helped destroy enemy positions and stop an attack by the Viet Cong.
During one mission, a 5-inch shell misfired and exploded. This damaged a gun, sadly killing three sailors and wounding three others. This incident forced the ship to leave the combat zone for repairs. After repairs, the Turner Joy continued its duties, including visits to Hong Kong and Japan.
More Tours of Duty
The Turner Joy went on several more tours to Vietnam. In December 1966, it began firing its guns to support American and South Vietnamese troops. This lasted for about a month. After a break, it returned to the Vietnamese coast in February 1967 for more gunfire support.
In March 1967, the ship began "Operation Sea Dragon" off North Vietnam. Its job was to stop enemy supplies moving by water and land. On April 7, while firing at enemy boats, the Turner Joy was hit by a North Vietnamese shore battery. The hit damaged the ship's deck and some equipment. Shrapnel also wounded a sailor. However, the damage was not severe enough to stop its mission.
After repairs, the ship visited Australia and New Zealand in May 1967. This was part of a celebration for the 25th anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea. The crew enjoyed the hospitality in these countries. The ship returned to Long Beach in June 1967.
Final Vietnam War Patrols
The Turner Joy continued its missions in Vietnam through 1968 and 1969. It provided gunfire support for troops and patrolled to stop enemy supplies. These missions took it to different areas along the Vietnamese coast. The ship would take breaks for fuel, supplies, and repairs in places like the Philippines and Okinawa. It also visited Taiwan and Hong Kong for rest.
In 1970 and 1971, the ship continued its important role. It acted as a plane guard for aircraft carriers and provided gunfire support. It also made goodwill visits to Thailand, Australia, and New Zealand.
The Last Shot of the War
In February 1972, the destroyer underwent major upgrades. It received new guns and its engines were improved. In December 1972, it sailed back to Asia. This would be its last tour on the gunline. For 28 days, it fired over 10,000 rounds to support ground forces. The USS Turner Joy fired the very last naval gunfire round of the war. This shot hit the beach just seconds before the ceasefire began on January 28, 1973. This marked the end of American involvement in the Vietnam War.
After the ceasefire, the Turner Joy took part in other operations. This included Operation End Sweep, which cleared American mines from around Haiphong harbor. It also did anti-submarine exercises. The ship returned to Long Beach in June 1973.
Life After the War
In 1974, the Turner Joy began its first peacetime mission to the western Pacific in ten years. It visited the Philippines and Indonesia. It also conducted exercises with other ships. The ship returned to San Diego in October 1974.
Indian Ocean Deployment
In September 1975, the Turner Joy sailed for its 11th mission to the western Pacific. However, this trip turned into a tour of duty in the Indian Ocean. It visited Singapore and Sri Lanka. It also took part in "Midlink," a large exercise with the British, Iranian, and Pakistani navies. This exercise practiced many naval tactics, like hunting submarines and air defense.
The ship returned to the Philippines in December 1975. It continued routine operations and exercises in the South China Sea and Sea of Japan. It even sailed through the middle of a typhoon! In April 1976, the ship returned to San Diego.
A Special Visit and Retirement
On July 4, 1976, the Turner Joy made a special trip. It steamed up the San Joaquin River to Stockton, California. This was more than 50 miles from San Francisco Bay. It was the first large warship to visit Stockton for its Bicentennial celebrations.
However, after many years of service, the Turner Joy had some engine problems. It spent the rest of 1976 in port for repairs. After more work and testing, the ship went on a goodwill cruise in 1979-1980. It visited Hawaii, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand. It even did sea trials with the Australian and New Zealand navies.
In 1982, the Navy decided to retire the Turner Joy and its sister ships. They said it would cost too much to modernize them. The Turner Joy was officially taken out of service on November 22, 1982.
A Museum Ship Today
In 1991, the Bremerton Historic Ships Association received the Turner Joy. After being cleaned up and made ready, it opened to the public in 1992. Today, you can visit the USS Turner Joy in Bremerton, Washington. It serves as a museum ship and a memorial, allowing people to learn about its history and the sailors who served on it.
See also
In Spanish: USS Turner Joy (DD-951) para niños
