Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

YP-108


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Echo - Quebec - November
 NEQN
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is left to right
American Defense Service Medal - American Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal
District Patrol Craft
  • Built by Wilmington Boat Works, Wilmington, CA
  • Completed for movie director Roland West as yacht Joyita (ON 230654), 1931
  • Sold to Milton E. Beacon, San Diego, CA, 1936
  • Acquired by the US Navy, 17 October 1941
  • Partially converted for naval service at Long Beach, CA
  • Placed in service as YP-108, date unknown
  • Sailed San Pedro to Pearl Harbor with Sepulga (AO-20), arrived 18 December 1941
  • Conversion for naval service completed by Hawaiian Tuna Packers, Honolulu, HI, 21 May 1942
  • Assigned to 14th Naval District, 1941 - 1945
  • Grounded on Kalohi Channel Reef, Lanai, and heavily damaged, May 1942
  • Pulled off by Robin (AT-140), 13 June 1942
  • Placed out of service, date unknown
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 30 March 1945
  • Transferred to Department of Interior, 02 October 1946
  • registered to Louis Brothers, Honolulu, TH, as Joyita, 1946
  • Registered to William Tavares, 1950
  • Registered to Dr. Ellen Katharine Luomala, a professor at the University of Hawaii, 1952
  • Chartered by Capt. Thomas H. "Dusty" Miller, a British-born sailor living in Samoa for use as a trading and fishing charter boat
  • Departed Apia, Samoa bound for Tokelau, 03 October 1955
  • Reported overdue, 06 October 1955
  • Found adrift with crew and passengers missing north of Vanau Levu, 600 miles off course, by SS Tuvalu, 10 November 1955
  • Auctioned for £2425 to David Simpson of Fiji and reflagged British, July 1956
  • Ran aground Koro Sea, refloated, January 1957
  • Began regular trade between Levuka and Suva, October 1958
  • Ran aground on reef at Vatuvalu; refloated, abandoned and beached, November 1959
  • Bought by Robin Maugham, early 1960s
  • Sold to Major J. Casling-Cottle, 1966
  • Final disposition, disintegrated on beach by late 1970s
    Specifications:
    Displacement 70 tons (lt) 74 tons (fl)
    Length 69'
    Beam 17'
    Draft 7'
    Speed unknown
    Fuel and Water capacities
    Diesel 3,000 gals
    potable water 2,500 gals
    Complement unknown
    Armament unknown
    Propulsion
    Main Propulsion - two Grey Marine Diesel engines
    Auxiliary Power - two Diesel drive motor generator sets
    twin propellers 225shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    YP-108
    YP-108 34k CPO Body, USN at the wheel of YP-108, circa 1942. Photographer unknown. This image from Benny-Drinnon Blogspot Robert Hurst
    Commercial Service
    YP-108 16k MV Joyita as found in the South Pacific in 1955, adrift and partially submerged and listing heavily to port. Photographer unknown. Image from savalinews.com (dead link) Robert Hurst
    YP-108 66k Port side view of MV Joyita after being towed ashore. Photographer unknown. Robert Hurst
    There is no DANFS history record available for YP-108 at NavSource
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    Life Magazine, December 12, 1955, report on finding of Joyita pp 137-144
    Blog about Joyita
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Yard and District Craft Photo Index Back To The District Patrol Vessel / Craft (YP) Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page was created by Gary P. Priolo and is maintained by David L. Wright
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 20 February 2021