CARL JAMES BOYD

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Retired U.S. Navy Capt. Carl James Boyd died peacefully on Sunday, Oct. 7, 2018, at Covenant Place.

He was born on Aug. 7, 1925, in Stuart Hughes County, Oklahoma, to Rudolf D. Boyd and LaVerne Boone Boyd. His beloved wife, Mildred Lynette McGill Boyd, passed away on Jan. 30, 2018. Their son, Stan, died in 1974.

A beloved father, grandfather and great-grandfather, he is survived by his daughter, Sharon Boyd Young and husband, Kenneth R. Young Jr., of Sumter; two grandchildren, Stanley Boyd Young and his wife, Laura Wood Young of Columbia and Jennifer Young Pierce, M.D. and husband, Christopher Ross Pierce, of Mobile, Alabama; and four great-grandchildren, Marion Fahy McGill Pierce, Elizabeth Ross Lynette Pierce, Stanley James Young and Everest Ann Young.

Carl Boyd was accepted into the B-12 program after graduating from high school. The Navy sent him to the Montana School of Mines for two years. He was then sent to The University of Notre Dame to finish his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering and also received his Naval commission as ensign from Notre Dame. He later achieved his Master of Science in Electrical Engineering at the U.S. Naval Post Graduate School. Capt. Boyd served on various Naval ships and shore establishments in the rank of ensign through commander. Highlights include main propulsion assistant and electrical officer on an aircraft carrier, fire control officer of the USS Boston CAG-1 and assistant for Surface to Air Guided Missiles in the Office of Chief of Naval Operations.

In 1964-1967, Capt. Boyd commanded the U.S. Naval forces in the initial Naval offensive operations off the coast of Vietnam. From 1967-1970, Capt. Boyd directed the testing and the production of the MK-46 used by the Navy's lightweight anti-submarine torpedo. Capt. Boyd served from 1970-1971 as commander of the Sixth Fleet aboard the USS Springfield, home ported in Gaeta, Italy. He established a liaison with the Italian elite police, Carabinieri, and for the first time in U.S./Italian history the Carabinieri shared their facilities with the U.S. Shore Patrol.

After retirement, Capt. Boyd was recalled by the Navy to complete the development of the Surface Effect Ship Project. During that time, he testified before select congressional committees about the design and construction of the Surface Effect Ships. The ships attained a speed in excess of 100 miles per hour and fired a guided missile at that speed for the first and only time, setting a world record.

Upon his second retirement, he joined the Honeywell Corp. and was responsible for the concept formulation, advanced design building and the testing of the Navy's first torpedo that was designed from the ground up. He later became responsible for the design, development and manufacture of all system and component subsystem testers required for successful testing of the MK-50 Torpedo.

Capt. Carl Boyd will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.

Visitation will be from 5:30 to 7 p.m. today at the home of Ken and Sharon Young.

Memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church, 9 W. Calhoun St., Sumter, SC 29150.

Online condolences may be sent to www.sumterfunerals.com.

Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home & Crematory, 221 Broad St., Sumter, is in charge of the arrangements, (803) 775-9386.