Frank A. Wood is an author of military trillers and historical fiction. Last Gunship...is his personnel account of experiences in Nam in 1972. Destruction, exhaustion, humor, and terror is shown from someone pulling the trigger and killing on a daily basis. A book for adult historians.
In the face of such tragedies, stories perhaps, are the best memorials we have. In unflinching detail through vivid and poignant language, the author leaves nothing to the imagination.
50 Yrs Ago Today, Mullinnix Steams Towards Barcelona, Spain
Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood
On Monday, 25 January it was back to sea and back to work: Narrow weaving exercises with Boston; general quarters drill; refueling from Nantahala; collision, abandon ship, and man overboard drills; plan guard duty; and refueling with USS Truckee AO-147. Surface firing exercises were conducted on 29 January with the sip expending 38 rounds BL&P, 10 rounds AA common, with 48 rounds of 5”/54 flashless powder plus 4 rounds of 3”/50. By Saturday, 30 January she was headed to Barcelona, Spain a one week tender availability. Upon arriving the ship moored alongside USS Yellowstone AD-27 with a nest of four destroyers at the North Head of Muella del Contradique in Darsena del Morrat, Barcelona, Spain. While moored, Mullinnix received miscellaneous services from the tender.
This tender availability period afforded the crew the opportunity to see bullfights and senoritas in the largest Spanish seaport.
50 Yrs Ago Today, Mullinnix Berths @ Molo Garibaldi, La Spezia, Italy
Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood
She replenished from Denebola the following day, as well as transferring SKSN H. T. Hayes onboard, before anchoring in 5.5 fathoms of water in a Mediterranean moor with standard mooring lines in berth 6 to Molo Garibaldi, La Spezia, Italy on Thursday, 14 January.
The ship was underway at 0857 on Friday, 20 January for Pollensa Bay, Mallorca Island, Spain. The first drops of rain hit like dimes. Within minutes, the needle rain of a winter thunderstorm starting spearing Mullinnix like a frontal attack during the Boar Wars. By 0939, gray sheets of rain had obscured visibility to two miles.
While in route to the Mallorca Islands, Mux performed a personnel transfer via the motor whale boat from the USS Lowry DD-770. Five hours later, she was anchored in Pollensa Bay with the majority of the fleet. Ships present included Des Moines, Boston, USS Johnston DD-821, Lowry, sister-ship USS Manley DD-940, USS Cone DD-866, USS Gearing DD-710, USS Wrangell AE-12, USS Altair AE-12, USS Piper, Nantahala, and USS Robert H. McCard DD-822.
50 Yrs Ago Today, Mullinnix Sets Sail From Naples, Italy
Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood The holidays behind them, the ship said farewell to Naples on Monday 4 January, back to an extended fleet operations with the fast carrier attack group of the Sixth Fleet. This included ECM exercises with USS J.C. Ownes DD-776 and USS Lowry DD-770, and ASW exercises with sister-ship USS Decatur DD-936 and USS Pier SS-409,rescue destroyer duty with USS Saratoga CVA-60. She conducted a highline detail on 8 January, transferring BT1 S. F. Lanier, mail and movies from USS Des Moines CA-134, followed by a man over board drill using the motor-whale boat to recover the dummy. Saturday, 9 January found Mullinnix once again conducting a light mail transfer from Des Moines followed by a helicopter mail transfer with Saratoga and closed out a busy day with plan guard duty with USS Essex CVA-9 during evening flight operations. The following day the ship deployed the Destroyer Squadron 32 Chaplin to the USS Fiske DD-842, retrieving ‘the Padre’ after services. In port, Sundays are a day of rest for most sailors. This isn’t the case at sea however. After church services, the crew prepared for highline transfer of ammunition from USS Suribachi AE-21. While along side Suribachi, the ship received LT G. L. Lockhart via helicopter after he completed is temporary duty. After stowing the ammunition in the magazines, Mullinnix prepared to refuel from USS Canisteo AO-99. Mux conducted operations with USS W. R. Rush DDR-714, USS Stormes DD-780, USS M. C. Fox DDR-829, and USS Denebola AF-56. Shortly after 1200 hours on 12 January, Stormes, while in station #1, lost steering control. The alertness of the other ships prevented what could have been a major disaster, Rush assumed the guide. To be continued... Cheers, Woody
New Years finds Mullinnix Med moored in Naples Made fast to the sea wall with nylon and cable Our berthing assignment is Quebec fifty-one To Molo San Vincenzo the mooring lines run
The bow is held steady with anchor and chain With ninety fathoms out we expect to remain Secure in our nest in eleven fathoms water And with mud bottom it seems like we “oughter”!
Alongside to port are two other DD’s Johnston and Vogelgesang make our next three With fires in 2A there’s plenty of steam For 3 and 4 generators and auxiliary machine
The starboards ashore bringing in the new year While we in the port like sentinels peer Protecting our ship from dangers impending With condition six watches and an OD unbending
Most of th fleet of Vice Admiral Anderson Are here in the harbor for the holiday season M.C. Fox and Stormes and the tender Yellowstone The William R. Rush, Walworth County and Cone
Boston and Essex are the two heavies Then service force ships, who keep us ready Rigel and Chuckawan, and out in the bay Unprotected by sea wall the Mississenewa lay
SOPA in Naples is COMFAIRELM Watching closely over his realm Embarked on Mux is CDS 32 Captain R.B. Kelley and his crew
Since last New Years Eve, which found us in Boston Much ocean we’ve covered, we’ve been on the run In these following verses lets look once again To see what we’ve done and where we’ve been
We left dear old Boston on January the fourth And sailed for Norfolk, our new home port But for only a month did we stay there Then off to the South for a cruise so rare
Port-of-Spain, Trinidad was our first stop Where COMSOLANT set up his shop Four new DE’s joined us then Also a sub, and ashore PatRon 10
Again we turned South, onward to Rio While in route 90 pollywogs met their old foe From Rio on Southward, to Montevideo Mardel Plata was next, then northward we go
At Recife we stopped for only a day Then again Port-of-Spain; here ship’s parties were gay LaGuaria was next, here we changed XO’s Port-of-Spain once more for a little more limbo.
Here Admiral Stephan then hauled down his flag Of he and his staff our crew still does brag. We left for the states after four months away And this time it wouldn’t be such a short stay.
We arrived in Norfolk on the sixth of May And CDS 32 came aboard to stay Alongside the Tidewater we spent some time To get men and equipment up to prime.
Strikeback and Lantflex, Intex and Riptide All this was new, but taken in stride As we welcome break to these operations We helped New York City with their celebrations.
Towards the end of the summer, twas 31 July We bid Captain Anderson a found good-bye And welcomed aboard in a ceremony grand CDR John C. Hill, woo took over command.
On the seventh of August we bid all adieu And sailed eastward for our Med debut After relieving the Bigelow at Golfo de Palmas Many tough operations were waiting to try us.
But scattered between the periods at sea Were many new ports, and many a spree Marseille, Genoa, Leghorn, Pyreas Rhodes, Mittiline – all these did greet us
St Raphael, Palma, Golfo Juan, and Athens Tunis, Toulon, and Bahia Pollensa That leaves only Naples where we are now 56 more days, and homeward we’ll plow.
One more event hat does deserve mention The change of Commodores is worth some attention Captain R.B. Kelley of PT boat fame Relieved Captain Small – “Lem” by nickname.
So went the Mullinnix throughout 59 Who knows what the new year will assign But we’re not worried, for with this crew We’ve shown CINCLANTFLT our mottos “can do”!
ENS J.C. Klosterman USNR Approved: John C. Hill II, Commander; J.H. Ratliff, LCDR, XO
