Mullinnix Enters the Med For The 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)

On 18 August, she proceeded to anchorage Alpha Two Golfo de Palmas, Sardinia. Golfo de Palmas is in the south-west portion of Sardinia. The island of S. Antioco, joined by a narrow isthmus and a group of bridges to the mainland, forms a good natural harbor to the south of the isthmus. Other ships present included USS Boston CAG-1 (ComCruDiv 2 embarked), USS F. D. Roosevelt CVA-42 (ComCarDiv 2 embarked), sister ship USS Bigelow DD-942 (COMDESRON 6 embarked), USS J. C. Owens DD-776 (COMDESDIV 322 embarked), USS Zellars DD-777 (COMDESDIV 162 embarked), USS Charles S. Sperry DD-697, USS Massey DD-778, USS Meredith DD-890, along with USS Lowry and USS Fox.

Upon arriving in the Mediterranean, Mullinnix (and Bigelow) were the newest United States destroyer in the Mediterranean, in addition to being the flagship for Commander, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 32. As such, she was visited by many dignitaries including West German Minister Strauss. Minister Strauss had the opportunity to experience highline transfers close up and personal as he arrived from the heavy cruiser USS Des Moines CA-134 at 1355 on 22 August. He departed Mullinnix the same way he arrived, highlining to the USS Roosevelt.


To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

Mullinnix Sets Sail On Her 1st Med Cruise - 50 Years Ago Today

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

With her ASW readiness at its highest and under the command of her new CO, she set sail on her first Mediterranean deployment to join the 6th Fleet on 7 August 1959, joining the Sixth Fleet about 10 days later. Underway in accordance with CT 24.4.2 movement 4-59, she joined up with the task unit at 1017. She crossed the Atlantic with DESRON 32 minus USS Strong and USS Lowry. Joining her were USS Nantahala AO-60, USS Canisteo AO-99, USS Suribachi AE-21, USS Hale DD-642, USS Benham DD-796, USS Fiske DDR-842, and USS Hawkins DDR-873. This task force rendezvous with USS Essex CVA-9 on 12 August.

This was indeed a strike force - energetic darting destroyers, plodding fleet auxiliaries, sleek submarines, big-gun ships, and straight steaming carriers. …proud names of Navy ships: Roosevelt, Saratoga, Essex - memorials to great battles won and past presidents. The lean angular names of Navy ‘tin-cans’: Benham, Fiske, Mullinnix, Bigelow, -never-forgotten memories of heroes who served before us. The heavy hitting cruisers memorializing our great cities – Des Moines, Boston. To this, our allies in Europe would be introduced, the biggest, badest, meanest strike force afloat in the world.

For east coast ships, it simply didn’t get any better than a Med cruise. Sure, its ten days to cross the Atlantic with all her foul temperament, but the shear thrill of it. The sounds of the Navy - the piercing trill of the boatswains pipe, the syncopated clangor of the ship’s bell on the quarterdeck, the harsh squawk of the 1MC and the salty language and vulgar laughter of sailors as they work. This is what it was all about. This is why men signed up. This was the Navy.

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody