C. Turner Joy

Charles Turner Joy (17 February 1895 – 6 June 1956) was an admiral of the United States Navy during World War II and the Korean War. During the last years of his career, while fighting leukemia, he served as Superintendent of the Naval Academy. The destroyer USS Turner Joy (DD-951) was named for him. Early life C. Turner Joy was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on February 17, 1895. Commissioned as an ensign in the Navy upon graduation from the United States Naval Academy in 1916, he served in the battleship for more than four years, including the U.S. participation in World War I. Interwar Period In 1923, after receiving a graduate education in engineering, he began two years as Aide and Flag Lieutenant to Commander, Yangtze Patrol. This was followed by a tour as executive officer of the Asiatic Fleet destroyer , an assignment with the Bureau of Ordnance, sea duty in the battleship , and service at the Naval Mine Depot at Yorktown, Virginia. In the mid-1930s, Lieutenant Commander Joy was commanding officer of the destroyer and was on the staff of Commander Destroyers, Battle Force. From 1937 to 1940, Commander Joy was an instructor at the Naval Academy. He then became executive officer of the heavy cruiser . World War II In 1941, Captain Joy was Operations Officer for Commander Scouting Force, Pacific Fleet. For several months after the United States entered World War II in December, he helped to plan and execute combat operations against Japan. He commanded the heavy cruiser from September 1942 to June 1943 during which he was active in the Aleutians and South Pacific war theatres. After an important war plans tour in Washington, DC, Rear Admiral Joy became commander of a cruiser division, leading it through nearly a year and a half of intense combat service against the Japanese Navy.