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1944: April 16:  Sinking of German U-boat, U-550

Joining USS Gandy (DE-764), USS Joyce (DE-317) and USS Peterson (DE-152) intentionally rammed German (Type IXC) U-boat, U-550, in the North Atlantic east of New York on April 16, 1944.   The destroyer escorts then subsequently deployed depth-charges and gunfire to sink the submarine.  Previously, U-550 sank the U.S. merchant tanker, SS Pan Pennsyvania, on the same day.  Joyce and Peterson picked-up the survivors.   During the action, shells from the destroyer escorts set afire Pan Pennsylvania's abandoned wreck. 

Image: 26-G-2552:  German U-boat, U-550, surfacing astern of USS Joyce (DE-317), after being depth charged, April 16, 1944.  Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.