Mullinnix Participates in ASW Training Cruises - 50 Years Ago Today

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)

The balance of June and July were set aside for coordinated antisubmarine (ASW) training cruises intended to toughen up the ship’s offensive/defensive capabilities in order to effectively deal with the ever-present submarine threat. The first of these cruises, accordance with COMDESRON 32 MSG 191432Z, commenced on 23 June in the company of USS Strong DD-758 and USS Sailfish SS-572. To confirm her youth, Mullinnix conducted a full power run and at 1853 reached a speed of 35 knots.

The second, took to sea on 6 July in the company of Task Unit 24.4.5 composed of units of DESRON 32, DESRON 4, and DESDIV 262 plus USS Northampton CLC-1, USS Nantahala AO-60, and USS Boston CAG-1 to continue ASW simulations. The shear size of these exercises illustrated their importance. On 9 July the following ships participated in a ASW circular screen formation: USS Northampton CLC-1, USS N. K. Perry DDR-883, USS Boston CAG-1, USS Douglas H. Fox DD-779, USS Stormes DD-780, USS Strong DD-758, sister ship USS Manley DD-940, USS Greene DDR-711, USS McCard DD-882, USS Dyess DD-880, USS Gearing DD-710, USS Bordelon DDR-881, USS Gyatt DDG-1, USS Johnston DD-821, USS Vogelsang DD-862, USS Cecil DDR-835, USS Corry DDR-817, USS O’Hare DD-889, and USS Stickell DDR-888. Many of these ships were testing the Navy’s newest anti-submarine warfare equipment.

She returned to Norfolk on 10 July only to return to Virginia Operating Area as a unit of Task Unit 201.4.1 on the morning of 13 July. Mullinnix was part of a fourteen ship contingent preparing for anti-submarine warfare in accordance with Commander Carrier Striking Force (COMCARSTIK Force) Operation Order (OPORDER) 52-59. They participated in NATO exercise RIPTIDE under the command of RADM G. W. Anderson, Jr. USN.

Shortly after midnight, in the early morning hours of 15 July, she made rendezvous with USS Saratoga CVA-60, USS Fiske DDR-842, sister ship USS Decatur DD-936, USS Benham DD-796, and USS Hawkins DDR-873. ASW exercises continued throughout the day. At 1245 on 16 July, Mullinnix acquired a sonar contact bearing 330T, range 3600 yards. After stationing the ASW Attack Team, Mullinnix and USS Johnston commenced a dual ship attack on the target at 18 knots. Two S2F aircraft and four ASW helicopters joined in to assist in the operations. The sub was successfully surfaced and was subsequently identified as USS Trumpetfish SS-425.

After receiving 41,236 gallons of fuel from USS Canisteo AO-99, Mullinnix and the others ships continued sharpening their ASW skills. Simulating numerous situations and conditions such as darkened ship, testing of chemical and collision alarms, after steering control tests, pursuing radar and sonar contacts, steering sinuous courses, and highline transfers.

In another test of her newest and ruggedness, Mullinnix conducted a 35 knot full power speed run on Sunday afternoon, 19 July. At 1818 she performed a crash back full maneuver followed by, at 1821, a crash ahead to flank speed exercise to 34 knots. While maintaining 34 knots, she commenced high speed turns using a 37-degree rudder.

The following day Mullinnix assisted USS Keppler DDE-765 on a dual ship attack, expending seventeen rounds of plaster-loaded hedgehogs. Shortly there after the submarine placed herself out of action and requested permission to surface. Mullinnix was then joined by HMS Scarborough F-63 and HMS Tenby F-65, both Whitby Class Type 12 frigates. The three ships continued ASW attack runs on suspected targets for the remainder of the afternoon. The exercises completed, she returned to D&S Piers and moored port side to USS Shenandoah AD-26, Pier 21 on the morning of 21 July.

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

Mullinnix Heads to NYC For 1st Time - 50 Years Ago Today

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)

Mullinnix steamed out of Norfolk on 10 June, headed to New York City. This short trip, along with others like it, would become the foundation of one of New York’s biggest events - Fleet Week celebration, which began in 1987, a gathering of ships and their crews from many countries. Before she entered the open sea, Mullinnix anchored at anchorage Foxtrot and loaded 60 plaster loaded Hedge Hogs and twelve cases of hand grenades from Navy YF 328. All the while the crew wondering why they needed armament for this voyage. For the tougher boroughs of New York maybe.

In the company of USS Vogelgesang DD-862, USS Lowry DD-770, USS Stormes DD-780, USS Strong DD-758, USS Owens DD-776, USS Gyatt DDG-1, USS Fox DD-770, and USS Northampton CLC-1, the DESRON 32 ships steamed in formed column or diamond formation in route to the Big Apple. Visibility continued to deteriorate until at 0658 on 11 June the ships commenced sounding international fog signals. The fog smudged out the details that separated sea from sky. The other ships, only noises straining to penetrate the cloak of invisibility.

With slightly better visibility the special sea and anchor detail was set at 0730. With everyone dressed in dress whites, preparations were made for manning the rail for entering New York Harbor. The harbor is huge. Even with the aid of civilian pilot Captain E. Young, Mullinnix didn’t pass the Statue of Liberty until 1217. As the USS Northampton was the first ship in the formation (Mullinnix was second), she fired a nineteen gun salute in honor of the Vice-President of the United States, Richard Nixon. Maneuvering to conform to the Hudson River channel, she passed under the George Washington Bridge at 1325. Due to the number of ships, Mullinnix and USS Vogelgesang had to temporarily anchor at mooring buoy A.

With the aid of Tug YTB 525 and pilot J.V. Cashin, she moved to South Face Pier 88. At 1016 she moored port side to USS Northampton. At 1038 Mullinnix received USS N. K. Perry alongside to starboard. For those unfortunate enough not to have liberty, they stayed on board on greeted 573 of New York’s finest civilians.

For those other shipmates, those able to experience New York, they spread out in its five boroughs. The bars were packed by 1700. In The Village, groups of sailors, in crisp uniforms, polished shoes and white caps were seen ambling down sidewalks carrying opened bottles of beer. Someone proclaimed loudly, "I love this city!" to no one in particular. They others cheered and drank. The locals, young people with beatnik haircuts, also drank. And smoked marijuana. They received the sailors with bemused fascination. No one knew who had invited them, but cameras quickly emerged. Poses were struck. As the night wore on, white hats left the heads of sailors and landed atop the more flirtatious women.

The bars were still full at 0300. Inside, sailors and writers and musicians and poets were all going about the business of forgetting. Some by drinking, some by laughing at underground comics, some by smoking, some by gorging at oyster bars in neighborhood clubs. Some in prohibition era dive bars, listening to incredible live jazz, funk, and blues like at the 55 Bar. Or at Arthur’s Tavern, where they listened to straight-ahead jazz, New Orleans style jazz, real Chicago blues, or Dixieland jazz bands. Some landed in piano bars, some found joints to listen to R&B. Others stumbled onto Charlie “Bird” Parker’s Birdland that featured double and triple bills lasting 'til dawn. They found Cleopatra’s Needle, the C-Note, 3 Deuces, Club Carousel, Club Samoa, Onyx, and B.S. Pully. All were filled with sailors.

Jazz is the art of expression set to music. Jazz is said to be the fundamental rhythms of human life and man’s contemporary reassessment of his traditional values. The crew wasn’t aware of that but they listened to ragtime, Dixieland, boogie-woogie, swing, dance bands, and bebop. They drank strong British ales at Irish Pubs like the Blarney Star, Clancy’s, Dempsey’s Pub, Muldoon’s Irish Pub, Murphy’s Pub, and O’Neill’s.

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody