Casco Bay Research Paper

In mid-November, 1943 after conducting anti-submarine warfare exercises in Casco Bay, the destroyer U.S.S. Turner left the waters of Maine and steamed south to Norfolk, Va. It would be the last time the ship would ever sail into Casco Bay. Upon arriving at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, TURNER was ordered to escort duty for its third trans-Atlantic convoy of the war. Although it was TURNER’s third trip across the Atlantic, for some of the crew it was their first. Among those of the ship’s company making their first trip was 18 year-old Seaman 2/c Boyd F. Cook. S 2/c Cook, from Livermore Falls, was assigned to TURNER at its commissioning on April 15, 1943, but transferred to the Naval Radio School at Portland on June 23, 1943. He rejoined the ship on November 9, 1943 in New York, just a few days before TURNER deployed to Casco Bay for anti-submarine exercises. …show more content…
After safely delivering the convoy , TURNER returned to the east coast of the U.S. TURNER, along with several other warships arrived at Ambrose Lightship on January 3, 1944. The Ambrose Lightship marked the entrance to the Ambrose Channel, which was the main shipping channel in and out of the ports of New York and New Jersey. The ships anchored in the vicinity of the lightship at about 0300, with orders to proceed to Brooklyn Naval Yard at 07:15. The order was never carried out. At 06:17, while the crew ate breakfast and the ship prepared to get underway for New York Harbor, TURNER was rocked by a sudden explosion. The initial explosion created an intense fire causing a series of additional explosions. The crew fought valiantly to save the ship, but at 07:05 the abandon ship order was given. At 07:50 the final and most violent explosion occurred. The after boiler room exploded and blew out the port side of the hull. TURNER split in two and was gone at