USS Turner Joy (DD-951)

USS Turner Joy (DD-951) was a Forrest Sherman-class destroyer of the United States Navy. Named for Admiral Charles Turner Joy, a distinguished naval officer of the Korean War, the ship is most famously associated with the Gulf of Tonkin incident in 1964, a pivotal event that escalated U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. Following a long and active career spanning the Cold War, she was decommissioned in 1982 and is now preserved as a museum ship in Bremerton, Washington.

Construction and commissioning

The vessel was laid down on 30 September 1957 at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington. Her construction proceeded under the supervision of the Navy Department, and she was launched on 5 May 1958, sponsored by Margaret Joy, the widow of Admiral Joy. The destroyer was officially commissioned into active service on 3 August 1959, with Commander Robert C. Peniston assuming command as her first commanding officer. Following sea trials and shakedown exercises off the coast of California, she reported to her first homeport at Long Beach, California.

Service history

After initial operations with the Pacific Fleet, Turner Joy deployed to the Western Pacific in 1960, conducting exercises with allies like the Republic of Korea Navy and making port visits to locations such as Yokosuka and Hong Kong. Her most historically significant deployment began in 1964 as part of Destroyer Division 192, operating in the South China Sea. On the night of 4 August, in company with the destroyer USS ''Maddox'', she reported being under attack by North Vietnamese torpedo boats in the Gulf of Tonkin. This reported engagement, following an incident involving Maddox two days prior, led directly to the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution passed by the U.S. Congress, which authorized major American military action in Southeast Asia.

Throughout the Vietnam War, the ship provided extensive naval gunfire support for U.S. Army and Marine Corps units along the coast of South Vietnam, including operations near Da Nang and in the Mekong Delta. She also served as a plane guard for aircraft carriers like USS ''Kitty Hawk'' on Yankee Station and conducted Operation Sea Dragon interdiction missions against North Vietnamese supply lines. In later years, her service included deployments with the Seventh Fleet, participation in major NATO exercises like Ocean Safari, and a final Western Pacific tour in 1982.

Decommissioning and museum ship

After over two decades of service, USS Turner Joy was decommissioned on 22 November 1982 at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. She was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 13 February 1990. Rather than being sold for scrap, the vessel was transferred to the Bremerton Historic Ships Association in 1991 for preservation. Following an extensive restoration, she was opened to the public as a museum ship in 1992, permanently berthed at the Bremerton Boardwalk, adjacent to another museum ship, USS ''Missouri''. She is listed on the Washington Heritage Register and serves as a key historic attraction in the Puget Sound region.

Awards

For her service, USS Turner Joy earned numerous unit awards and service ribbons. Her most notable decorations include the Navy Unit Commendation for her actions during the Gulf of Tonkin incident. She also received the Meritorious Unit Commendation for sustained performance during the Vietnam War. Additional awards encompass the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (for operations related to the Taiwan Strait), the Vietnam Service Medal with multiple campaign stars, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, and the Sea Service Ribbon.

Category:Forrest Sherman-class destroyers Category:Museum ships in Washington (state) Category:Ships built in Washington (state)