WYGANT-HENRY

USS TURNER was commissioned on April 15, 1943, at the New York Navy Yard with LCDR Henry S. Wygant Jr. in command.  After outfitting and shakedown she was assigned to transatlantic convoy escort duty to Europe.  Records reflect that after several uneventful escort assignments, on the night of October 23, 1943, at about 7:43pm a surface radar contact proved to be a German submarine riding on the surface with decks awash. TURNER’s 5-inch and smaller guns opened fire and several hits were observed on the submarine as it rapidly submerged.  Depth charges were then fired and although searches for the submarine or for proof of her sinking failed, no conclusive evidence was found to confirm a sinking and although the submarine was probably heavily damaged it was finally concluded that she may have sunk.

During the late-night hours of January 2, 1944, TURNER concluded another successful convoy escort assignment and dropped anchor off Ambrose Light of New York Harbor.  Several hours later TURNER suffered a series of shattering internal explosions and by 6:50am she took on a 16-degree starboard list.  Explosions, mostly in the forward ammunition stowage area, continued to stagger the stricken destroyer and at 7:50am a singular violent explosion caused her to capsize and sink, taking with her 15 officers and 138 men.  Unfortunately, LCDR Wygant was one of the casualties and his name has been listed on the Tablets of the Missing Cenotaph at the East Coast Memorial in New York City. 

Investigations and official inquiries failed to accurately determine the cause of the explosions.  Although German submarines were reported to be operating in the area no evidence was revealed that they may have caused the explosions and survivors have reported that routine ammunition handling procedures were underway at the time of the initial explosion.

Submitted by CDR Roy A. Mosteller, USNR (Ret)