USS Loy (DE-160)

USS "Loy" (DE-160/APD-56), a "Buckley"-class destroyer escort of the United States Navy, was named in honor of Gunner's Mate Third Class Jackson Keith Loy (1922-1942), who was killed in action aboard the USS "San Francisco" off Lunga Point, Guadalcanal on 12 November 1942. For his actions, Gunner's Mate Loy was awarded the Navy Cross.

"Loy" was laid down by Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia, 23 April 1943; launched 4 July 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Lewis G. Barnes; and commissioned 12 September 1943, Lieutenant commander James V. Bewick in command.

After shakedown out of Bermuda, "Loy" departed New York 12 November for convoy escort duty in the Atlantic. During the next 3 months she made two round-trip runs escorting ships from the Netherlands West Indies to Bizerte, Tunisia, and Algiers, Algeria. Late in March 1944, she escorted a troop convoy out of Boston to Halifax, Nova Scotia; thence, she steamed via Casco Bay, Maine, to Norfolk, Virginia where she arrived 1 April for hunter-killer screening duty.

Departing Norfolk 3 April, "Loy" screened the escort carrier USS "Core" while steaming shipping lanes to the Azores and North Africa. She reached Casablanca, French Morocco, 29 April; departed 3 May; and resumed screen and submarine search patrols. After returning to New York 31 May, she resumed convoy escort duty 2 weeks later. Between 13 June and 8 October, "Loy" made two transatlantic voyages from New York and Norfolk; thence, she entered Boston Navy Yard for conversion to high speed transport and was reclassified APD-56 on 23 October.

"Loy" departed Boston 18 December; and, after training off the Virginia coast, stood out from New York for Hawaii on New Year's Day 1945, arriving via the Panama Canal and San Diego, 25 January. Following training exercises with underwater demolition teams, she sailed for the Philippines 14 February and arrived Leyte Gulf 4 March. There, she prepared for the invasion of Okinawa, a campaign which carried American forces to the doorstep of Japan.

With UDT 4 embarked, "Loy" sailed for the Ryukyus 21 March. While approaching Okinawa on 26 March, she fought off the first of many repeated enemy suicide plane attacks and shot down the attacker. Prior to the invasion, she conducted shore reconnaissance operations and supported shore demolition operations by UDT 4. On 29 March, she provided medical and salvage assistance to LSM(R)-188 after a kamikaze crashed her stern.

"Loy" boated UDT-4 off Purple Beach during landings 1 April. During the next week she supported operations of the UDT and patrolled off Okinawa. After sailing to Kerama Retto 10 April, she supported demolition operations on Ie Shima from 16 to 23 April. Despite intermittent enemy air attacks, she also continued coastal ASW patrols; her guns shot down an attacker on the 8th and downed another enemy plane on the 16th.

Departing Okinawa 25 April, "Loy" arrived Guam, Marianas 2 May. From 11 to 15 May she returned to Okinawa as convoy escort and then began station patrols in the anti-aircraft screen. While on patrol 25 May, she embarked and cared for survivors from USS "Barry" after the high speed transport had been crashed by a kamikaze. Two days later, she shot down three suicide planes during two attacks. The third plane exploded close aboard the starboard beam and sprayed the ship with fragments. She suffered 18 causalities and some internal damage. While steaming for temporary repairs at Hagushi, Okinawa, she shot down yet another attacker early 28 May after the plane had narrowly missed her stern.

"Loy" proceeded to Kerama Retto 29 May for additional repairs; then from 7 to 19 June she steamed via Saipan to Leyte Gulf. She repaired battle damage until 28 July; operated out of Leyte Gulf until 10 September; and arrived Lingayen Gulf, Luzon, 13 September to escort transports carrying occupation troops to Japan. Departing 20 September, she arrived Wakayama Bay, Honshū, the 25th; and during the next month she served as screening ship in Wakayama Bay. After an escort run to Nagoya and back, she sailed 31 October for the Philippines. She carried passengers and mail to Nagoya; refueled at Taku, China; and reached Manila Bay, Luzon, 12 November. There she embarked troops for transportation to the United States.

"Loy" departed Manila Bay on her homebound "Magic Carpet" run 19 November. She touched at Samar, Eniwetok and Pearl Harbor and arrived San Diego 11 November. She steamed to Norfolk between 14 and 28 December, and on 6 February 1946 proceeded to Green Cove Springs, Florida where she decommissioned 21 February 1947 and joined the Atlantic Reserve Fleet. Transferred to the Orange, Texas, group in 1961, she was struck 1 September 1964 from the United States Naval Vessel Register. She was sold to Boston Metals Company, Baltimore, Maryland, 15 August 1966 for scrapping.

"Loy" received one battle star for World War II service.

References

External links

* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/06/160.htm navsource.org: USS "Loy"]
* [http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/escorts/de160.htm hazegray.org: USS "Loy"]