| Caption | Captain Dixie Kiefer, badly injured in an air attack four days earlier, addressing his crew one more time before being transferred from USS Ticonderoga to the hospital ship Samaritan at Ulithi, 25 Jan 1945. ww2dbase | ||||||||
| Photographer | Unknown | ||||||||
| Source | ww2dbaseUnited States Navy | ||||||||
| More on... |
| ||||||||
| Photo Size | 1,200 x 800 pixels | ||||||||
| Photos on Same Day | 25 Jan 1945 | ||||||||
| Photos at Same Place | Ulithi, Caroline Islands | ||||||||
| Added By | David Stubblebine | ||||||||
| Licensing | Public Domain. According to the United States copyright law (United States Code, Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105), in part, "[c]opyright protection under this title is not available for any work of the United States Government". Please contact us regarding any inaccuracies with the above information. Thank you. |
||||||||
| Colorized By WW2DB |
Colorized with Adobe Photoshop |
Did you enjoy this photograph or find this photograph helpful? If so, please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 per month will go a long way! Thank you. Share this photograph with your friends: Stay updated with WW2DB: |
Visitor Submitted Comments
All visitor submitted comments are opinions of those making the submissions and do not reflect views of WW2DB.
Search WW2DB
Modern Day Location
| WW2-Era Place Name | Ulithi, Caroline Islands |
| Lat/Long | 10.0352, 139.7031 |
Current Site Statistics
- » 1,150 biographies
- » 337 events
- » 44,024 timeline entries
- » 1,241 ships
- » 350 aircraft models
- » 207 vehicle models
- » 375 weapon models
- » 123 historical documents
- » 260 facilities
- » 470 book reviews
- » 28,570 photos
- » 432 maps
Famous WW2 Quote
"Goddam it, you'll never get the Purple Heart hiding in a foxhole! Follow me!"Captain Henry P. Jim Crowe, Guadalcanal, 13 Jan 1943
Support Us
Please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 a month will go a long way. Thank you!
Or, please support us by purchasing some WW2DB merchandise at TeeSpring, Thank you!
10 Jun 2019 12:35:55 PM
When Captain Kiefer addressed the men of Ticonderoga for the last time, he said:
“Well, gang; this is the last time I'll speak to you. I have tears in my eyes and it isn't because I am hurt. I always did know that you were a *** good peacetime crew, and the other day out there, you proved to me that you were the best *** wartime crew in the Navy.
“I did not leave the bridge until 11:30 that night, but afterwards seeing how you men kept fighting back, I realized that I could do more good alive when I could come back out here again.
“I want to thank you men for saving the ship, which I thought was beyond saving. I'm going back to the States soon, and I'll be on the dock when you come in.
“The Captain who takes my place will treat you like I did. Keep up your good work. The Big ‘T’ still is and always will be the best damned ship in the Navy. Don’t forget the Big ‘T’ and that you are still Dixie’s kids …â€
And he kept his promise. When Ticonderoga put in to Pearl Harbor on her way to Puget Sound, Dixie Kiefer was waiting on the dock, covered in bandages and with his arm in a sling.