Seaman Second Class Joseph Del Vecchio, Jr.

Early Life

Joseph Del Vecchio, Junior, was born in Stamford, Connecticut, on July 10, 1924. He grew up in a busy household as the youngest son of Joseph Del Vecchio, Sr., and Margaret Del Vecchio. His father immigrated from Italy, while his mother was born in New York. Joseph Del Vecchio, Sr. registered for the draft in 1918, ready to serve his new country during World War I. 

The family lived in a rented home on Van Buskirk Avenue for $40 a month in the 1930s. His father supported the family as a press hand, earning around $700 a year. To help the family, Joseph’s older brother, Carter, worked as a machine hand. Joseph left school after eighth grade to work and help support his family. Prior to his enlistment, he was contributing $20 per week. While in the service, Joseph sent home $35 to $45 per month to help his family. 

Joseph attended Rogers School in his hometown of Stamford. He was surrounded by a large family, including two brothers, Carter and Carl, and four sisters, Josephine, Constance, Margaret, and Louise. In addition to his siblings, Joseph also lived with his nephew, Richard Leone. 

At the time of his enlistment, his family had purchased a home on Weed Avenue in Stamford, Connecticut. Joseph never married or had children of his own before he left for the war.

Homefront

In the early 1940s, Stamford, Connecticut, was a prosperous small city on the coast of Long Island Sound. It was primarily a vibrant manufacturing community with a diverse and growing population. The downtown area was expanding rapidly during this period. Factories were located near the harbor and railroad, where many workers lived.

The Arsenal of Democracy

Stamford was heavily involved in wartime manufacturing. Industrial firms converted their production lines to support the military. Key companies included Yale and Towne Manufacturing Company and Pitney-Bowes. These local businesses helped Connecticut earn the nickname “Arsenal of Democracy.” The Yale and Towne Manufacturing Company is where Joseph Del Vecchio, Sr., and his sons, Carter and Joseph, worked before enlisting. 

The war brought significant population shifts to Stamford. Labor shortages were filled by women entering the industrial workforce in large numbers. African-American workers migrated from the South for new factory jobs. This shift opened new economic opportunities despite ongoing racial prejudice.

Civilian Sacrifice and Support

Over 10,000 Connecticut residents served in the armed forces during World War II, while back home, citizens organized neighborhoods for scrap metal drives and rationing. They restricted their use of gasoline, meat, and canned goods. Residents also grew Victory Gardens to relieve the burden on food sources.

Honoring the Fallen

The Stamford community remained unified through various methods of war propaganda. Posters encouraged citizens to buy War Bonds and promote patriotism. In 1943, the town erected a large Service Roll in Central Park. This structure honored every local citizen in uniform. Unfortunately, this monument was dismantled in 1960, and a bank now stands where it once stood in Stamford. 

Military Experience

Joseph Del Vecchio, Jr., enlisted in the U.S. Navy in late 1942. After joining the service, he received his initial training at the United States Naval Training Station in Newport, Rhode Island.

Following his training, Del Vecchio joined the crew of USS Turner when it was commissioned in April 1943. He served as a seaman second class. As a member of the Deck Division, he stood watch as a lookout or helmsman.

Duties and Responsibilities at Sea

General duties for a seaman second class involved maintaining the exterior of the destroyer. This work required cleaning the decks and painting the hull. Sailors in this role also assisted with mooring and anchoring the vessel in port. These responsibilities provided the essential labor required for the ship’s operation. Most of the specific skills were learned through practical experience under the guidance of senior sailors at sea. Del Vecchio participated in three major convoy missions during his time on the ship.

Convoy Escort and Atlantic Service

USS Turner (DD-648) was a Gleaves-class destroyer primarily assigned to protect supply lines. Del Vecchio completed several trips to Casablanca, French Morocco, and other ports in the Mediterranean. These missions were essential for supporting Allied operations in the Atlantic Theater.

During these voyages, the crew engaged in constant antisubmarine warfare training to defend against enemy threats. In October 1943, the destroyer made visual contact with a German U-boat running on the surface. The ship opened fire with its five-inch guns and launched a series of depth-charge attacks.

USS Turner’s lookouts spotted the submarine at a distance of about 500 yards. The crew scored a direct hit on the conning tower of the vessel. While the submarine attempted to dive, the destroyer continued its attack to prevent the U-boat from escaping.

Evidence from the scene indicated that the enemy submarine was probably heavily damaged. This encounter was part of the ongoing effort to secure the Atlantic for merchant convoys. After this engagement, the ship eventually returned to the United States for repairs.

The Tragedy Off the Coast of Sandy Hook

USS Turner arrived off Ambrose Light near New Jersey late on January 2, 1944. The ship anchored while the crew waited for the morning to proceed into New York Harbor. Sailors were looking forward to a well-earned shore leave.

On the morning of January 3, a series of internal explosions suddenly rocked the ship. The first blast occurred near the galley while many men were eating breakfast. These catastrophic explosions caused the ship to capsize and sink within two hours.

Sacrifice and Lasting Legacy

Joseph Del Vecchio, Jr., was reported missing following the sinking of the destroyer. He was 19 years old at the time of his death. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and a Gold Star, which unfortunately never reached his family, even though his brother Carter petitioned the government on his mother’s behalf. 

Commemoration

Joseph Del Vecchio, Jr., was among the 136 sailors who perished when USS Turner (DD-648) suffered a series of internal magazine explosions and sank off the coast of Sandy Hook, New Jersey, on January 3, 1944. Because the ship sank rapidly in cold waters and many sailors were trapped in watertight compartments, Del Vecchio’s remains were never recovered. He was pronounced killed in action in early February. He is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing at the East Coast Memorial in Manhattan’s Battery Park.

The legacy of his loss left an indelible mark on his family in Stamford. His mother, Mrs. Margaret Del Vecchio, reportedly had a premonition of the disaster, dreaming of her son with blood on his face just before the news arrived. His father, Joseph, in a profound act of lifelong mourning, put on a black tie the day he received the news of his son’s death and wore that same tie every single day until he passed away; he was eventually buried wearing it. 

Bibliography

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Automatic 45, U.S. Pistol – Inspection of small parts of pistols – Colt’s Patent Fire Arms Plant, Hartford, Conn. Photograph. c.1914-1918. Library of Congress (2006679078). https://www.loc.gov/item/2006679078. 

Connecticut. Fairfield County. 1930 U.S. Federal Census. Digital Images. https://ancestry.com.

Connecticut. Fairfield County. 1940 U.S. Federal Census. Digital Images. https://ancestry.com.

Del Vecchio Family Photographs and Papers. Courtesy of Tracy Leone Ritter.

Joseph Del Vecchio [Sr.]. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. Digital Images. https://ancestry.com.

Joseph J. Del Vecchio. Official Military Personnel File, Department of the Navy. National Archives and Records Administration – St. Louis.

Joseph J. Del Vecchio. U.S., World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946. Digital Images. https://ancestry.com.

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This profile was researched and created through the Researching Silent Heroes program, sponsored by the American Battle Monuments Commission.