50 Years Ago Today – Mullinnix Departs Naples, Italy
Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood
With the aid of civilian pilot Captain Cocorulio, she got underway from Naples at 0715 on Friday, 3 March. Before the end of the midwatch on 4 March, Mullinnix was operating in the Tyrrhenian Sea. At 0915 she transferred two German officers from USS Little Rock CLG-4.
“Here come the Krauts”, announced FTG3 Smythe as twin-trails of smoke leaked from his nostrils.
“Yep, just think. Less than 16 years ago, we were kick’in their ass all the way back to Berlin”, figured Smythe’s buddy McGhee.
GQ was sounded at 1300, setting material condition ZEBRA. At 1339, the ship conducted ABC defense drills.
“I don’t know about you, but these drills scare the shit out of me”, said Smythe.
“Why’s that?” asked McGhee.
“Spooky. They’re just damn spooky. You know what ABC stands for, right?”
“Atomic Bacterial Chemical attack. Why?” Answered McGhee.
“Tell me somethin’. We’re on a ship with 3 5” guns, 2 double-barrel 3”, and a couple torpedo tubes.”
“So?”
How in the fuck are we suppose to survive a fuck’in A-bomb? Or a fuck’in bug attack or some fuck’in-ass chemical, huh? Tell me that.”
“We don’t.”
“What?”
“We don’t. We take one for the bigger ships – like the carrier”, said McGhee.
“Fuck me. Fuck me. Fuck me. I need a smoke”, Smythe answered.
“Smoking lamp is out.”
“Like a said, spooky. Here I am practice’n how to turn green inside, or out, or both, and the Navy tells me I can’t smoke. Fuck me…”
To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody
With the aid of civilian pilot Captain Cocorulio, she got underway from Naples at 0715 on Friday, 3 March. Before the end of the midwatch on 4 March, Mullinnix was operating in the Tyrrhenian Sea. At 0915 she transferred two German officers from USS Little Rock CLG-4.
“Here come the Krauts”, announced FTG3 Smythe as twin-trails of smoke leaked from his nostrils.
“Yep, just think. Less than 16 years ago, we were kick’in their ass all the way back to Berlin”, figured Smythe’s buddy McGhee.
GQ was sounded at 1300, setting material condition ZEBRA. At 1339, the ship conducted ABC defense drills.
“I don’t know about you, but these drills scare the shit out of me”, said Smythe.
“Why’s that?” asked McGhee.
“Spooky. They’re just damn spooky. You know what ABC stands for, right?”
“Atomic Bacterial Chemical attack. Why?” Answered McGhee.
“Tell me somethin’. We’re on a ship with 3 5” guns, 2 double-barrel 3”, and a couple torpedo tubes.”
“So?”
How in the fuck are we suppose to survive a fuck’in A-bomb? Or a fuck’in bug attack or some fuck’in-ass chemical, huh? Tell me that.”
“We don’t.”
“What?”
“We don’t. We take one for the bigger ships – like the carrier”, said McGhee.
“Fuck me. Fuck me. Fuck me. I need a smoke”, Smythe answered.
“Smoking lamp is out.”
“Like a said, spooky. Here I am practice’n how to turn green inside, or out, or both, and the Navy tells me I can’t smoke. Fuck me…”
To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody
posted by Frank A. Wood at 16:06
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