Dixie (AD 14) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 40 text:

Other Dixie Cruises DIXIE left San Diego on 9 November 1954 for a tour in the Western Pacific and while at sea on 30 November she received a message request from Naval Forces in the Philippines to answer the SOS of the Philippine motor ship NAGA reported aground off Oot Point in Bantayan Bay, Philippine Islands. She altered her course and dispatched a search and rescue team to assist the stricken ship. All passengers and crew members were safely debarked from MAGA. except for one member of DIXIE ' S search and rescue team who lost his life by drowning. The destroyer tender arrived in Subic Bay on 2 December 1954 and visited Manila before sailing for Hong Kong where she arrived on the 22nd. She arrived in Sasebo from the Philippines on 5 March 1955 and supported SEVENTH Fleet units in the Far East until 15 April when she departed Yokosuka for return to San Diego on 3 May 1955. DIXIE earned the Battle Efficiency Competition Award in 1955. In the following years she continued to alternate her flagship and tender duties at San Diego with tours of service in support of the SEVENTH FLEET in the Far East, where she served as the flagship of Commander Destroyer Flotilla ONE, Departing San Diego on 17 January 1956, she spent the greater part of her time in Subic Bay in the Philippine Islands with a brief stay at Sasebo and Yokosuka before her return to San Diego on 15 August 1956. She underwent overhaul in Mare Island Naval Shipyard, followed by another cruise to the Far East and returned 31 January 1958. DIXIE again sailed to support the SEVENTH FLEET on 27 December 1958 and returned home to San Diego on 7 August 1959. She celebrated her 20th anniversacy of commissioning on 25 April I960 and was underway from San Diego on 7 July to base her tender service to the SEVENTH FLEET at Yokosuka, where she again was flagship for Commander Destroyer Flotilla ONE and staff. The DIXIE Basketball team ushered in the new year by defeating the team of the USS ST. PAUL (CA-73) to win the Seventh Fleet Basketball Championship in January of 1961. On 24 January she departed Yokosuka for her home port in San Diego, arriving there on 6 February. After a short stay she sailed for the Mare Island Naval Shipyards to commence FRAM MK II conversion. She celebrated her 21st birthday by undergoing a complete facelifting, including the addition of a new helicopter flight deck and hangar which necessitated the removal of mounts 53 and 54. Her modernization gave her capabilities for maintenance and repair for the latest weapons systems, including DASH and ASROC, as well as increased efficiency and habitability. With her conversion c ompleted, she sailed from Vallejo on 27 June, arriving in San Diego on 5 July to assume duties as flagship for Commander Cruiser Destroyer Force U.S. Pacific Fleet and tending the FIRST FLEET destroyers. DIXIE spent the remainder of 1961 performing these duties and preparing for deployment with the SEVENTH FLEET early in 1962.

Page 39 text:

Dixie ' s Decorations USS DIXIE (AD- 1 4) has earned five battle stars and other awards for the operations listed below. I star FIRST U.N. COUNTER OFFENSIVE: 30 January - 3 February 1951 I star SECOND KOREAN WINTER: 25-27 February 1952; 24-27 March 1952 I star KOREAN DEFENSIVE, SUMMER FALL 1952: 2-5 May I952-, 25-26 June 1952; 7-8 July 1952 I star THIRD KOREAN WINTER: 20-23 March 1953, 11-13 April 1953 I star KOREA, SUMMER FALL 1953: I May 1953 - 27 July 1953 NAVY OCCUPATION SERVICE MEDAL (Asia): 8-20 September 1945; 26 May-21 June 1959 CHINA SERVICE MEDAL: 21 September - 10 December 1945; 23 March - 14 September 1947, 8 March - 25 May 1949; 26 June - I July 1952; 13 August - II September 1953 KOREAN PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION BADGE: I August 1950 - 9 February 1951, 10 February 1952 - 27 July I952-, 9 March 1953 - 27 July 1953 Original Statistics For USS Dixie AD-14 LENGTH OVERALL: EXTREME BEAM: FULL LOAD DISPLACEMENT: Tons: Mean Draft: DESIGNED SPEED: TOTAL ACCOMMODATIONS: Officers: Enlisted: ARMAMENT: 530 feet 6 inches 73 feet 3 inches 17,176 24 feet 5 inches 18 knots 56 1,206 (4) 5-inch .38 caliber }

Page 41 text:

DIXIE after FRAM II conversion On 2 February 1962 DIXIE departed San Diego for her next Far East employment, which was to last until September 1962. During this tour in the Western Pacific, DIXIE again earned the Combat Efficiency Award for tenders in GRUDESPAC. One of the contributing factors to the receipt of this award was the simultaneous refueling by high lining of two destroyers at sea. The destroyers involved were USS COLAHAN (DD-658) and USS LAWS (DD-558). This was an operation never before accomplished by a destroyer tender. On 20 February 1962 DIXIE affected rescue at sea of a 34 foot sailing yawl 180 miles south of Tokyo, Japan. The yawl, owned by J.D. Challinar, QMC, USN (Ret), was sighted at 0630 in 14 foot seas, with winds up to 50 knots. The yawl had been adrift in heavy seas for about 14 days. DIXIE also transported 30 Vi tons of HANDCLASP material for distribution to authorities in the Far East. On 14 April 1962 she completed construction and installed two 1,200 gallon fresh water tanks for use by St. Joseph ' s Elementary School, Olongapo, Zambales Philip- pines. On 16-17 May 1962 DIXIE embarked the U.S. Ambassador to Japan and the U.S. Naval Attacher the purpose of taking part in the 23rd Black Ship Festival at Shimoda, Japan. Change of Command ceremonies were held on board the DIXIE on 8 July 1962 when Captain Neil H. Fisher relieved Captain Bryan H. Smith as Commanding Officer, DIXIE ended her tour of duty in Far East on 9 September 1962 when she was relieved by her sister ship USS PRAIRIE (AD- 1 5). She returned to San Diego on 25 September 1962 to again take up the duties of tender and flagship for CRUDESPAC.