50 Yrs Ago Today, Mullinnix moored at Palma, Mallorca Island, Spain

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)
Having steamed by the mountains of the north-west coast, with only Puig Mayor remained capped with snow, Mullinnix was moored port side to USS Sierra AD-18 along with USS Laffey DD-724, and USS Benham DD-796 at Puerto Pi West Breakwater, Palma, Mallorca Island, Spain on 19 November. Destroyer-tenders like the Sierra are ships designed to provide maintenance support to a flotilla of destroyers or other small warships. They are the machine shop, electrical contractor, supply depot, and all around mother ship for the smaller fighting ships of the fleet.

Mallorca Island is south and slightly east of Barcelona. Palma overlooks a small bay near the southwestern finger of the island. Palma de Mallorca is the capital of the lozenge-shaped island which many call Majorca. The snow capped mountains looked like a char-grey tablecloth carelessly dropped over a sleeping giant.

Since the 1950s, the advent of mass tourism radically changed the physiognomy of both the city and the island, transforming it into a center of attraction for foreign visitors and attracting workers from mainland Spain. This contributed to a huge change in the traditions, the sociolinguistic map, urbanization and acquisitive power. The boom in tourism caused Palma to grow significantly. In 1959 the Mullinnix sailors were accompanied by 500,000 visitors to Majorca.

The climate in Palma was typically Mediterranean with warm average temperatures and seasonal rains. With night came increasing humidity and mugginess that forced the crew to seek out the many local restaurants and bars. Palma was one of the best places on the island for nightlife. It had a wide range of clubs, bars, restaurants, sex shops and topless bars, the nightlife buzzing all night long. One of the busiest places was Sa Llotja. The pubs and bars here tended to get very packed and stayed wound up until past three in the morning. Then the crew headed off to the Passeig Maritim, where the drinking and dancing continued in the bars and dance-clubs that stayed open till at 6AM. Two of the Mux favorites were the Crazy Cow and Made in Brazil.
To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

50 Yrs Ago Today, Mullinnix steams towards Cartagena, Spain

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)
The following day, steaming independently, Mullinnix sailed towards Cartagena, Spain at 10 knots on boilers 1A and 2B, with s/s generators 1 and 3 on the line. Once the anchor was dropped in the outer harbor, with material condition YOKE and condition of readiness 5 were set throughout the ship, fourteen Spanish and American Armed Forces personnel came aboard for passage to Almeria, Spain. The officers included RADM. Calvar, RADM. Guistian, Brig. Gen. De Juan, Col. Ristori, Col. Mas, LCDR Vallespin, Maj. Carreras, Capt. Amergual, Lt. Ciere, Lt. Passamer, Lt. Morena of the Spanish Armed Forces. Capt. Carlson, USN and Lt Col. Neville, USMC were also present.

At 1542, she was anchored in Golfo De Almeria, Almeria, Spain, in twenty fathoms of water, sand bottom, with sixty fathoms of chain to the port anchor. Ships present include Boston, USS Fidelity MSO-443, USS Exultant MSO-441, USS Fearless MSO-442, USS Avenge MSO-423, and USS Casa Grande LSD-13. At 1555 RADM Calvar, RADM Guitian, Brig. Gen. De Juan, Col. Ristori, Col. Mas, LCDR Vallespin, Major Carreras, Captain Furtia, Captain Amergual, LT Ciere, LT Pasamar, LT Morena, Captain Carlson, USN, LTCOL Neville, USMC, transferred to Boston.

The moon was down, the sky black with rain clouds as Mullinnix steamed under darkened ship conditions with USS Cone DD-866 on the mid watch of 16 November. When a ship is darkened, suitable and frequent inspections are necessary to insure that she is effectively darkened both as viewed from other ships and from aircraft. A ship that is not effectively darkened is promptly informed by adjacent vessels. Smoking and the use of flashlights may disclose the presence of a ship which is otherwise effectively darkened. Suitable measures are taken to prevent these practices on exposed decks or other places from which such lights might be seen by an enemy.
When a ship is darkened the ship's bell is not struck to indicate time; bugle calls, band music, and loud speakers are not sounded on the top side, and other noises which might disclose the ship's presence are eliminated. The whistle is used as through the ship were not darkened unless the officer in tactical command directs otherwise.
To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody