- USS Boyd (DD-544)
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Career (US) 
Namesake: Joseph Boyd Builder: Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, San Pedro, California Laid down: 2 April 1942 Launched: 29 October 1942 Commissioned: 8 May 1943 Decommissioned: 1 October 1969 Struck: 1 October 1969 Fate: Transferred to Turkey, 1 October 1969 Career (Turkey) 
Name: Iskenderun (D-343) Acquired: 1 October 1969 Struck: 1981 Fate: Scrapped General characteristics Class and type: Fletcher-class destroyer Displacement: 2,050 tons Length: 376 ft 6 in (114.7 m) Beam: 39 ft 8 in (12.1 m) Draft: 17 ft 9 in (5.4 m) Propulsion: 60,000 shp (45 MW); 2 propellers Speed: 35 knots (65 km/h) Range: 6500 nmi. (12,000 km) @ 15 kt Complement: 329 Armament: 5 × 5 in (127 mm)/38 guns,
10 × 40 mm AA guns,
7 × 20 mm AA guns,
10 × 21 in. torpedo tubes,
6 × depth charge projectors,
2 × depth charge tracksUSS Boyd (DD-544) was a Fletcher-class destroyer of the United States Navy, named for Joseph Boyd, who took part in Stephen Decatur's expedition into Tripoli harbor during the First Barbary War.
Boyd was launched 29 October 1942 by Bethlehem Steel Co., San Pedro, California, sponsored by Mrs. C. W. Styer, wife of Captain Styer, and commissioned 8 May 1943, Lieutenant Commander Ulysses S. G. Sharp, Jr. in command.
Contents
History
As a unit of the Pacific Fleet, Boyd departed for Pearl Harbor 14 July 1943. After additional training she took part in the occupation of Baker Island (1 September 1943) and then joined the Fast Carrier Task Force as a screening vessel for the Wake Island raid (5–6 October) and the Gilbert Islands landings (19 November–8 December). During the bombardment of Nauru Island (8 December) Boyd was damaged by a Japanese shore battery while on a rescue mission. As a result she had to return to Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, for repairs.
Following repairs Boyd arrived at Pearl Harbor 23 March 1944. She joined Task Force 58 (TF 58) for
- the Hollandia landings (21–24 April);
- Truk-Satawan-Ponape raid (29 April–1 May);
- Saipan landings (11–24 June);
- 1st Bonins raid (15–16 June);
- Battle of the Philippine Sea (19–20 June);
- 2d Bonins raid (24 June);
- 3d Bonins raid (3–4 July);
- invasion of Guam (12 July–15 August);
- Palau-Yap-Ulithi, raid (25–27 July);
- 4th Bonins raid (4–5 August);
- occupation of the southern Palaus (9–24 September),
- and Morotai landings (15 September).
She then joined TF 38 for the strikes against Okinawa (10 October), northern Luzon and Formosa (11–14 October), and Luzon (15 October), which preceded the Leyte landings. After taking part in the Battle for Leyte Gulf (24–25 October) she screened the carriers launching strikes against Luzon (5–6, 13–14, and 19–25 November).
Between 31 December 1944 and 22 January 1945 Boyd served as an escort vessel. She then took part in the 24 January 1945 bombardment of Iwo Jima and in the occupation of the island (19 February–1 March). She arrived off Okinawa 95 March and remained there on screening duty until 30 June. She then rejoined the 3rd Fleet for strikes against the Japanese home islands (10 July–7 August). One of the first vessels to return to the United States after the Japanese surrender, Boyd departed Okinawa 7 September and underwent overhaul at Mare Island Navy Yard (25 September–28 November). She then moved to San Diego, arriving 14 January 1948 and was placed out of commission in reserve 15 January 1947.
Recommissioned 24 November 1950, the destroyer reported to the Pacific Fleet. Following training off the west coast, Boyd departed for Korea 28 May 1951. She remained there, serving with TF 77 and on the Formosa Strait Patrol, until returning to San Diego 21 December 1951. Boyd departed San Diego 12 July 1952 for her second Korean tour. She served on the Wonsan blockade and took part in the amphibious demonstration off Kojo (6–15 October). She departed Korean waters in late January and arrived at San Diego 16 February 1953. After the end of the Korean fighting Boyd continued operations along the west coast and made three Far Eastern tours.
Boyd received 11 battle stars for World War II and five for her Korean War service.
TCG Iskenderun (D-343)
On 1 October 1969, Boyd was decommissioned, stricken from the Naval Vessel Register, and transferred to Turkey. She served in the Turkish Navy as TCG Iskenderun (D-343). In 1981, she was stricken and scrapped.
References
- This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
External links
Categories:- Fletcher class destroyers of the United States Navy
- Ships built in Los Angeles, California
- 1942 ships
- World War II destroyers of the United States
- Cold War destroyers of the United States
- Korean War destroyers of the United States
- Vietnam War destroyers of the United States
- United States Navy ships transferred to the Turkish Navy
- Fletcher class destroyers of the Turkish Navy
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