Name/Title
Purple Heart of Dixie KieferDescription
A purple and gold heart-shaped medal with the likeness of George Washington on the front. The back of the Purple Heart reads "For Military Merit," and the medal hangs from a purple and white ribbon.Use
Purple Hearts are presented to servicemembers who are injured in the line of duty.Context
Dixie Kiefer was the Executive Officer of the USS Yorktown (CV-5) and the Captain of the USS Ticonderoga (CV-14) during World War II. Kiefer received the Navy Cross for his actions during the Battle of Midway, leading firefighting efforts and receiving severe burns and broken bones while lowering an injured sailor into a liferaft. Kiefer was made Captain of the Ticonderoga after recovery.
On the Ticonderoga, he received praise for ingeniously flooding the port side of the ship to tilt the deck and force flaming debris from kamikaze attacks to slide off the ship overboard. Captain Kiefer remained in command on the bridge for 11 hours, refusing treatment for bomb shrapnel and a broken arm until all his men were treated.
For his bravery and hardiness in battle, Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal nicknamed Kiefer the "Indestructible Man." Unfortunately, Kiefer died on November 11, 1945, in a civilian plane crash while recovering from his injuries aboard the Ticonderoga.Collection
Dixie Kiefer CollectionAcquisition
Accession
2025.9Source or Donor
David RoccoAcquisition Method
DonationUpdate Date
July 23, 2025