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MEMORIAL
January 21, 1945 will
live in the memories of many Tico Tigers. On that date Ticonderoga was
performing air operations off Japanese-held Formosa. She was attacked by
two Japanese kamikaze aircraft in less than an hour. The cost was
tremendous...144 men killed and over 200 injured including Captain Dixie
Kiefer, the ships commanding officer.
Ticonderoga
afire off Formosa January 21, 1945
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Damage to the island structure January 21, 1945 |
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Fires on the forward flight deck January 21, 1945 |
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Interior Damage
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Injured Sailor awaiting transfer January 21, 1945. Always a fellow shipmate nearby |
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Capt. Kiefer giving his farewell address to the crew |
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Captain Kiefer's Farewell
Address |
Captain Dixie Kiefer was seriously
wounded in the Kamikaze attacks of January 21 yet he remained on the
bridge till almost 12 hours after the attacks. He suffered from 65
different wounds and a broken arm. He never fully recovered from his
injuries. Here is his farewell address to the crew as he was about to
be transferred to a hospital ship:
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"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 damn good
peacetime crew, and the other day out there, you proved to me that you
were the best damn 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." |
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Honors cannot hide the
crosses of the dead. --Dwight D. Eisenhower |
Visit the WWII Memorial in Washington |
This will take you to the Viet Nam Veterans
Memorial--"The Wall" |
MEMORIAL MOVING WALL
The Viet Nam Moving Wall will be
in White Cloud, Michigan August 2-9, 2007. If you have never seen this
display, it is a one half size replica of
THE WALL In
Washington, DC and is worth the visit if you are in the area or would like
to travel there. Click the link above for more information on the
display and the Veteran's Parade which the city of White Cloud is sponsoring
PLEASE NOTE. Are you a family
member or friend of a recently deceased Ticonderoga Association member?
If so, please let us know so we can share it with the others in the
association. Simply click
HERE to send me an email. Thank you
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For all the good
times and great memories, this site is for you Brian (1947-1991).
See ya' latah sailah. I love you. |
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