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). On 26 November 1943,
Boyd was credited with sinking the Imperial Japanese Navy in the Gilberts area. During the bombardment of
Nauru Island (8 December 1943)
Boyd was damaged by a Japanese
shore battery while on a rescue mission for a US plane that had been shot and made an emergency landing into the water.
Boyd was ordered to go pick up survivors of the plane crash at 10:33 AM. Fifty-seven minutes later they found the raft with the pilots on board. At 11:40,
Boyd pulled up against the raft, shielding it from Japanese batteries. Approximately two minutes later, 11:42,
Boyd was hit by Japanese shells. The first shell passed through the main deck into the engine room, just above one of the ship's two fresh water evaporators. This strike severed at least one 600 pound high pressure, 850-degree superheated steam line, and also destroyed one of the ship's two power distribution boards. All of the men in the forward engine room died. The second shell hit inside the #1 stack. Total casualties were twelve men killed, 8 wounded. 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 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) ==