Dixie (AD 14) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 23 text:

DIXIE dons War Paint!! 2i

Page 22 text:

Dixie Colonel txu Seruicc to the Seruicc A y £ y 4k PEARL HARBOR, T. H. MARK II MOD 13 FRIDAY, 25 APRIL 1941. FIRST ANNIVERSARY EDITION A FEW FACTS ABOUT THE DIXIE ANNIVERSARY DANCES It must be borne in mind, however, that the DIXIE is a .nuVi : .v only a repair ship, a store ship, a mere auxiliary; tha • •. is indeed an integrated whole, concentrating on services to destroyers, ■ rvice.- ' vhich cover the spec u um of utilit.iiian luiicions, .vhcihtr the) ?pahs to iht main generators of a ship, or the sale of a chocolate-nut-p :caii-marshmallow- cherry-sundae at the fountain, or the prescription of a ' CC pill at the d ' spensary. Thus we have in the DIXIE many departments performing a multitude of diversified functions; a floating industrial establishmei t, tempered by a. keen sense of military discipline on the part of the officers and men who tn ke the wheels turn. Many functions are independent; most of them are interdependent, and for the success of the operation in hand, require the nicest kind of interdepartmental and interdivisional cooperation and timing, both within the ship herself, and between the DIXIE and the personnel of the vessels which come to the DIXIE for services. Even to the most casual observer, the above facts are self-evident. While the Repair Department of our ship embraces some forty-two per cent of our man-power, that department c fc produce effectively only with the whole-hearted support of other departments. The Suppl y Department can deliver the goods only with the help of the Deck Force and the Engineer ' s Force and the Repair Department. This is axiomatic, it is old stuff ; but it can bear repetition lest we lose our sense of proportion like the third ' eg in a three-legged stool. In the daily thoughts of every officer a nd man in this ship, some time should and must be devoted each day to the study of the mission of the DIXIE, in order that he may better prepare himself by practical application and concentrated study, to play his part in the big show, concentrating on service to other vessels. Each day brings more tasks for fulfillment to the DIXIE. Each day presents new vistis of work to be performed, novel problems for solution. The DIXIE has been assigned a big job of service in the scheme of preparation and maintenance of other vessels for war; a vital role in the scheme of national de ' ense. The DIXIT. will do that job, and do it well, for What the DIXIE Makes, Makes the DIXIE: In keeping with the policy of doing things in a bigger and better way, the Dixie is holding not one Anniver- sary Dance but two. One will be held on May 5th for the Starboard Watch and another on May 12th for the Port Watch. Information as to invitations, time, and place will be found in the Addendum to the Orders for the Day for April 25th. These dances promise to be very nice affairs;, with a floor show, dance contests, and all the trimmings. Music will be provided by the Dixie ' s own band. Bandmaster Colonel Mayhew has been working for some time on the preparation of a flock of the latest tunes and reports tfiat the band is really going to be in fine form. Several musicians are being borrowed from other ships to add to everybody ' s pleasure. Our MC Boudreau informs us that he is going to have an excel- lent collection of vocalists and special- ty dancers who will perform between dances. Of course, there will be plenty of beer, soft drinks, and eats for all hands. And for the bashful boys who haven ' t a girl of their own from town who they can bring, there will be plenty of girls who are coming for the express purpose of dancing and having a good time. They ' ll dance with you even if you act as though you had two left feet. All of which adds up to the fact that anyone who misses out on these dances is going to miss out on having a swell time. First anniversary issue of The Colonel . A bi-monthly newspaper printed onboard by the DIXIE Print Shop. 22

Page 24 text:

DIXIE was in Mare Island Navy Yard for overhaul when the Japanese struck at Pearl Harbor, but assumed the task of readying ships for the Pacific War on 22 December 1941 in San Francisco Bay. She left that port astern destroyers and other warships which guarded the approaches to the Hawaiian Islands; reinforced the Fiji Islands and Samoan Islands, engaged the enemy in the battle of Midway. She also assisted in preparing the fleet for the invasion of the Soloman Islands and departed Pearl Harbor on 17 November 1942 to tend the fighting ships in the South Pacific Forces engaged in that bitter fight. Basing her tender operations first at Noumea, New Caledonia, and later at Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides Islands, she provided tons of provisions besides other issues to the destroyers present. Capable of making almost any repair to a destroyer, castings were made in her foundry, then machined to the finest precision for fitting into place on the various ships when needed. Forgings, weldings and lathe work of every description were accomplished to keep the fighting fleet in trim, and the optical shop took on repairs from the finest watches, chronometers and fire control instruments to the largest range finders. Besides this repair work she supplied ammunition and depth charges as well as issue and maintenance of ready torpedoes for the destroyers. Her engineering department supplied electrical power, fresh water, fire and flushing water, steam and lubricating oil to the destroyers alongside with their own engineering plants closed down for repairs. Shifting her base from Espiritu Santo to Hawthorn Sound New Georgia, Soloman Islands, on 29 March 1944, she stayed there until 2 June. Reaching Ulithi on 30 September 1944 to service the warships preparing for the invasion of the Philippine Islands, having Overhaul being done at Mare Island (1941)