50 Years Ago Today – Mullinnix Departs Cannes, France
Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood
Mullinnix left Riviera good times, new female friendships, and even a couple broken hearts, as she got underway at 0701 on 10 March, enroute to Augusta Bay, Sicily as a unit of TU 60.21 in accordance with COMCARDIV 4 OP-ORDER 52-61.
Saturday, 11 March found Mullinnix proceeding to rendezvous with the replenishment group. First up was replenishment by helicopter from USS Altair AKS-32, receiving 6 net loads. This was followed by fuel transfer from USS Salamonie AO-26 and then an ammunition transfer drill with USS Shasta AE-6. At 1427 she took on provisions from USS Rigel AF-58 and finally a light line transfer with USS Moale DD-793.
While steaming in the Tyrrhenian Sea, LTJG D. M. Whitt returned aboard to resume his regular duties afer completing his TAD at Key West, Florida. On 13 March the shipped anchored at 0736 in Golfo di Catonia Bay, Sicily in 15 fathoms of water. MMI K. Reid was transferred to USS Shangri-LA CVA-38 with appendicitis. Mullinnix was back underway by 2030 for fleet operations and enroute to Istanbul, Turkey.
Operating in the Ionian Sea of the coast of Sicily, the ship had to suspend training to investigate an intermittent radar and ECM contact. The ASW attack team was stationed at 1343. As is common, the vast majority of these contacts never materialize into much. However, with the Russian in the same waters performing the same type training, you have to treat each one as real. No one ever knows, but this contact could have been Russian that managed to slip away at the last minute due to their training and drills. More than likely it was the USS Sea Cat SS-399 playing cat-a-mouse with her own destroyers. Mullinnix secured the ASW team and shut down the steam to the port shaft, a maneuver called “port shaft trailing”. This changes the sonar-marking that is unique to every ship in the world.
To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody
Mullinnix left Riviera good times, new female friendships, and even a couple broken hearts, as she got underway at 0701 on 10 March, enroute to Augusta Bay, Sicily as a unit of TU 60.21 in accordance with COMCARDIV 4 OP-ORDER 52-61.
Saturday, 11 March found Mullinnix proceeding to rendezvous with the replenishment group. First up was replenishment by helicopter from USS Altair AKS-32, receiving 6 net loads. This was followed by fuel transfer from USS Salamonie AO-26 and then an ammunition transfer drill with USS Shasta AE-6. At 1427 she took on provisions from USS Rigel AF-58 and finally a light line transfer with USS Moale DD-793.
While steaming in the Tyrrhenian Sea, LTJG D. M. Whitt returned aboard to resume his regular duties afer completing his TAD at Key West, Florida. On 13 March the shipped anchored at 0736 in Golfo di Catonia Bay, Sicily in 15 fathoms of water. MMI K. Reid was transferred to USS Shangri-LA CVA-38 with appendicitis. Mullinnix was back underway by 2030 for fleet operations and enroute to Istanbul, Turkey.
Operating in the Ionian Sea of the coast of Sicily, the ship had to suspend training to investigate an intermittent radar and ECM contact. The ASW attack team was stationed at 1343. As is common, the vast majority of these contacts never materialize into much. However, with the Russian in the same waters performing the same type training, you have to treat each one as real. No one ever knows, but this contact could have been Russian that managed to slip away at the last minute due to their training and drills. More than likely it was the USS Sea Cat SS-399 playing cat-a-mouse with her own destroyers. Mullinnix secured the ASW team and shut down the steam to the port shaft, a maneuver called “port shaft trailing”. This changes the sonar-marking that is unique to every ship in the world.
To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody
posted by Frank A. Wood at 13:00
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