This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Mark Polloni, GMG2
to remember
Barbee, David, MMCS USN(Ret).
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Contact Info
Home Town Tulsa
Last Address Sapulpa
Date of Passing Aug 08, 2012
Location of Interment Green Hill Memorial Gardens Cemetery - Sapulpa, Oklahoma
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
Enjoying retirement.
"Get a life" anymore means good computer time lurking NTWS.
Launched: 27 May 1939
Commissioned: 25 April 1940
Decommissioned: 15 June 1982
Struck: 15 June 1982
Honors and
awards: 5 battle stars for Korean War service
Fate: sold for scrapping
General characteristics
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"/38 calHull number AD-14
Best Moment *Selected for E-8. *Any underway time. AD duty for a "hole snipe" is the pits, pun intended. "Shore power" was our only salvation from in-port steaming watches.
Worst Moment *Appointed 3M Coordinator Assistant to the Executive Officer. Holding 3M inspections on WW2 Tin Cans, then critiqing the inspection with the CO. *Time moored in Kaoshung Harbour in Tiawan. Fear of having to take a gamma gobulin shot in the thigh if you came in contact with the harbour waters. Harbour was one big sewer swamp for the city. *Standing OOD watches. Only ship assignment where engineers stood OOD and EDO.
Chain of Command 1972 - 1973 WestPac Cruise CO Capt. J. E. Evans XO LCDR ChENg LCDR Brashear DivO LCPO MMCS Jordan
Other Memories *Dixie conversion from black oil to JP5 boiler fuel. Fuel tanks were so impregnated with black oil, the coating they applied prior to filling with JP5 peeled right off, plugging fuel lines, valves, and filters. *UNREPS and high-line personnel transfers with Destroyers. DIXIE�??s Decommissioning Ceremony On 15 June 1982, USS DIXIE (AD-14) was decommissioned at Naval Station, San Diego after 42 years and 51 days of active continuous naval service. The ceremony, which was held on the Focs�??le, was attended by military and civilian guests, and included many of the �??Grand Old Lady�??s�?? crew who were aboard for her commissioning on 25 April 1940. The guest speaker was VADM Lee Baggett, Jr., Commander Naval Surface Force U.S. Pacific Fleet, who recounted DIXIE�??s proud history, and the accomplishments of the crewmen assigned throughout the year. Following the somber occasion of final lowering of the national colors, the distinctive First Navy Jack (DON�??T TREAD ON ME) was passed to DIXIE�??s younger sister, USS PRAIRIE (AD-15), who then became the oldest Navy ship on active continuous service. The ship�??s log was closed with a last simple entry noting the time of day, and a great ship passed into history. USS DIXIE (AD-14) was commanded by Captain Roger L. Coffey, U.S. Navy on her final day of service to our great Navy. FATE On April 21, 1983, the KOBE MARU, a Japanese ocean-going tug, left San Francisco Embarcadero with the USS DIXIE AD-14 in tow. The crew prepared for a 50-day tow, which would have the DIXIE delivered to a Taiwanese ship breaking yard.
