USS Dixie (AD-14) in 1976 | |
History | |
---|---|
United States | |
Name | USS Dixie |
Namesake | A collective designation for the southern states of the United States. |
Builder | New York Shipbuilding |
Laid down | 17 March 1938 |
Launched | 27 May 1939 |
Sponsored by | Mrs. A. C. Pickens |
Commissioned | 25 April 1940 |
Decommissioned | 15 June 1982 |
Stricken | 15 June 1982 |
Motto | Can Do |
Honors and awards | 5 battle stars for Korean War service |
Fate | Sold for scrap, 17 February 1983 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Dixie-class destroyer tender |
Displacement | 9,450 tons |
Length | 530 ft 6 in (161.70 m) |
Beam | 73 ft 3 in (22.33 m) |
Draught | 24 ft 5 in (7.44 m) |
Propulsion | Steam |
Speed | 18 kts |
Complement | 1262 |
Armament | 4 x 5 in (130 mm)/38 cal |
The second USS Dixie (AD-14) was the first of destroyer tenders class built for the United States Navy just before the start of the Second World War. Her objective was to assist destroyers within the vicinities of areas of engagement and to maintain them service-worthy.
Dixie was launched on 27 May 1939 by New York Shipbuilding Corporation in Camden, New Jersey, sponsored by Mrs. A. C. Pickens; and commissioned on 25 April 1940. [1]
Dixie sailed from Norfolk, Virginia, on 20 June 1940 for Pearl Harbor to serve the destroyers of the Battle Force until October, when she cleared for the West Coast and similar operations at San Diego, California. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, she was undergoing overhaul at Mare Island Navy Yard, and quickly took up the task of readying ships for war service. In March 1942 she returned to Pearl Harbor to tend destroyers and other ships of the Fleet until November.
Dixie alternated between Nouméa and Espiritu Santo in support of the operations in the Solomons from November 1942 to March 1944, then went to the Solomons where she was based at Hathorn Sound. In November she arrived at the huge fleet base at Ulithi, serving there until March 1945. Her essential services were next given at San Pedro Bay, Leyte, where Dixie remained until the end of the war. She served ships on occupation duty at Okinawa and Shanghai, then returned to the west coast in December 1945. [2]
In the summer of 1946, Dixie sailed to Bikini Atoll for atomic weapons experiments, Operation Crossroads. In 1947 and in 1949 she cruised to the Far East and was based at Tsingtao to serve destroyers on patrol off the Chinese coast. Dixie was the last U.S. vessel to leave China when the Communist advance forced the evacuation of Americans from the mainland. It would take 37 years before U.S. naval vessels would once again visit China when USS Rentz (FFG-46), USS Reeves (DLG-24) and USS Oldendorf (DD-972) visited Tsingtao as part of China's new open door policy. [3]
Following her departure from China, she acted as headquarters for the American consul and chargé d'affaires at Hong Kong. She continued her active service alternating flagship duty for Commander, Cruiser Destroyer Force, Pacific Fleet, at San Diego, with tours in the Far East, based on Sasebo, Japan, or Subic Bay, Philippine Islands. During two of these western Pacific tours, she rendered valuable assistance to the ships of the United Nations operating off Korea. In 1959 and again in 1960, in addition to serving at San Diego, she sailed to the Far East to provide tender facilities for the 7th Fleet. [2]
Dixie received five battle stars for Korean War service.
From the early 1960s to 1982 Dixie was home-ported at Subic Bay in the Philippines where she served as a support ship for destroyers in the 7th Fleet, taking part in contingency operations in Laos in 1959 and Thailand in 1962. In 1963, the ship took part in 'Flagpole '63,' a joint naval exercise with the Republic of Korea. in 1965, the Dixie, alongside a large contingent of the Seventh Fleet, represented the United States of America's official entrance into the Vietnam War.
USS Dixie was home-ported out of San Diego, California 1969–1982 at least and was flagship for COMCRUSDESPAC usually tied up at pier 4.
In 1981, she was the first ship to be awarded the First Navy Jack as the ship with the longest active service in the Navy. Dixie was decommissioned and struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 15 June 1982. She was sold for scrap 17 February 1983 and scrapped at the now-defunct Ship breaking yard in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. [4]
USS Arnold J. Isbell (DD-869), a Gearing-class destroyer, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Arnold J. Isbell, an aircraft carrier captain during World War II. The ship was laid down on 14 March 1945 at Staten Island, New York, by Bethlehem Mariners Harbor, launched on 6 August 1945 and commissioned on 5 January 1946. Constructed too late to see action in World War II, the vessel initially served as a training ship with the United States Atlantic Fleet, before transferring to the Pacific and deploying to Korea during the Korean War and off the Vietnam coast during the Vietnam War. In 1972 Arnold J. Isbell was made part of the reserve training fleet and in 1974, sold to Greece where the ship was renamed Satchouris and served with the Hellenic Navy until being sold for scrap in 2002.
USS Hawkins (DD-873) was a Gearing-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. Following the war, the ship saw service in the Korean War and in the 1970s, was transferred to the Republic of China Navy as Tze Yang. She remained in service until the 1990s. The ship was then scrapped with the exception of her superstructure, which became part of a display and training ground at the Zuoying Naval Academy.
USS Duncan (DD-874) was a Gearing-class destroyer of the United States Navy, the third named for Captain Silas Duncan USN (1788–1834). The ship was laid down by the Consolidated Steel Corporation at Orange, Texas on 22 May 1944, launched on 27 October 1944 by Mrs. D. C. Thayer and commissioned on 25 February 1945. The ship was sunk in 1980.
USS McGinty (DE-365) was a John C. Butler-class destroyer escort of the United States Navy.
USS Curtiss (AV-4) was the first purpose-built seaplane tender constructed for the United States Navy. She was named for Glenn Curtiss, an American naval aviation pioneer that designed the Curtiss NC-4, the first aircraft to fly across the Atlantic Ocean.
USS Haraden (DD-585), a Fletcher-class destroyer, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Jonathan Haraden (1744–1803), a privateer of the American Revolutionary War.
USS O'Brien (DD-725), an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer, was the fourth ship of the United States Navy to be named after Captain Jeremiah O'Brien and his five brothers, Gideon, John, William, Dennis and Joseph, who captured HMS Margaretta on 12 June 1775 during the American Revolution.
USS Alfred A. Cunningham (DD-752), an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer, is the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Alfred Austell Cunningham, a USMC officer and aviator.
USS John A. Bole (DD-755), was an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer of the United States Navy.
USS John W. Thomason (DD-760), an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer, is the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for John William Thomason, Jr., a USMC officer who was awarded the Navy Cross for bravery during World War I.
USS Black (DD-666) was a Fletcher-class destroyer of the United States Navy.
USS Samuel Gompers (AD-37) was a destroyer tender, the first of her class, and designed to be a floating repair shop for ships of the U.S. Navy either in port or at sea. The vessel was named for Samuel Gompers, a distinguished American labor leader during the late nineteenth century.
USS Estes (AGC-12) was a Mount McKinley-class amphibious force command ship. It is officially named after "A mountain peak and national park in Colorado."
USS Klondike (AD-22/AR-22) was a destroyer tender in service the United States Navy from 1945 to 1970. In 1960, she was redesignated as a repair ship. After spending another five years in reserve, she was sold for scrap in 1975.
USS Piedmont (AD–17) was a Dixie-class destroyer tender built during World War II for the United States Navy. Her task was to service destroyers in, or near, battle areas and to keep them fit for duty. She served in the Pacific Ocean during World War II, the Cold War, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. For her work in battle areas, the ship was awarded four battle stars for her Korean War efforts and one for Vietnam War service.
USS Alcor (AD-34) was a destroyer tender, the lone ship in her class, named for a star in the constellation Ursa Major.
USS Black Hawk (AD-9) was a destroyer tender.
USS Prairie (AD–15) was a Dixie-class destroyer tender built just before the start of World War II for the U.S. Navy. Her task was to service destroyers in, or near, battle areas and to keep them fit for duty. Prior to U.S. entry into World War II, Prairie cruised between Atlantic ports from Colon, C.Z. to Argentia, Newfoundland. She was docked at Naval Station Argentia, tending Allied ships, on 7 December 1941 as the first direct blows of World War II struck the United States.
USS Sierra (AD-18) was a Dixie-class destroyer tender built just before the start of World War II for the U.S. Navy. Her task was to service destroyers in, or near, battle areas and to keep them fit for duty.
USS Yosemite (AD-19) was a Dixie-class destroyer tender built during World War II for the U.S. Navy. Her task was to service destroyers in, or near, battle areas and to keep them fit for duty.