50 Years Ago Today – Mullinnix Steams into the Aegean Sea
Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood
With multiple daily sonar contacts, Mullinnix steamed into the Aegean Sea during the midwatch on Saturday, 18 March. After receiving fuel from USS Pawcatuck AO-108, Mullinnix spent the afternoon simulating attacks on US Trutta SS-421.
She began transit of the Dardanelles at 1408 on 23 March. Uyasbaba Burnu light was bearing 358, distance 1.7 miles. By the midwatch on 24 March, she had entered the Sea of Marmara.
At 0010 she suddenly changed her course to avoid an unidentified radar. A Russian cruiser - began ‘escorting’ Mullinnix literally side-by-side. If she slowed, the Russia ship slowed, if Mullinnix sped up, so did the Russians. Late in the afternoon, the Mux skipper decided to perform a little ‘research’. The CO called the engine room and ordered them, “stand by to answer all bells!” Slowly the skipper started increasing speed until the ship was near flank speed, with the Russian still welded by her side. Then the captain ordered, “all back and hard right rudder!” Mullinnix started shuddering and shaking but came to a screeching halt as she turned around a full 180 degrees and steamed at flank speed the other way. The larger, heavier Russian ship was caught off guard, flying past Mullinnix. It took the Russians a 5-mile wide turn and almost 45 minutes to regain thier station ‘shadowing’ the US destroyer side-by-side once again.
This sort of ‘exercise’ does wonders for ship moral, hence the Mullinnix CO performed the maneuver several more times.
At 0408 the Yesilkos Aero beacon was sighted and at 0425 the Yesilkey Light was sighted. By 0650, the Captain was maneuvering the ship into Istanbul Harbor. With the aid of a local navigator on the bridge, she bypassed Istanbul and completed transit of the Bosporus Straight, entering the Black Sea at 0918 on course 034, speed 15 knots. Within 2 minutes, USS Hawkins DD-873 and Mullinnix were performed a light line transfer. Hawkins and Mullinnix anchored in Eregli Harbor, Eregli, Turkey at 0801 on 25 March.
To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody
With multiple daily sonar contacts, Mullinnix steamed into the Aegean Sea during the midwatch on Saturday, 18 March. After receiving fuel from USS Pawcatuck AO-108, Mullinnix spent the afternoon simulating attacks on US Trutta SS-421.
She began transit of the Dardanelles at 1408 on 23 March. Uyasbaba Burnu light was bearing 358, distance 1.7 miles. By the midwatch on 24 March, she had entered the Sea of Marmara.
At 0010 she suddenly changed her course to avoid an unidentified radar. A Russian cruiser - began ‘escorting’ Mullinnix literally side-by-side. If she slowed, the Russia ship slowed, if Mullinnix sped up, so did the Russians. Late in the afternoon, the Mux skipper decided to perform a little ‘research’. The CO called the engine room and ordered them, “stand by to answer all bells!” Slowly the skipper started increasing speed until the ship was near flank speed, with the Russian still welded by her side. Then the captain ordered, “all back and hard right rudder!” Mullinnix started shuddering and shaking but came to a screeching halt as she turned around a full 180 degrees and steamed at flank speed the other way. The larger, heavier Russian ship was caught off guard, flying past Mullinnix. It took the Russians a 5-mile wide turn and almost 45 minutes to regain thier station ‘shadowing’ the US destroyer side-by-side once again.
This sort of ‘exercise’ does wonders for ship moral, hence the Mullinnix CO performed the maneuver several more times.
At 0408 the Yesilkos Aero beacon was sighted and at 0425 the Yesilkey Light was sighted. By 0650, the Captain was maneuvering the ship into Istanbul Harbor. With the aid of a local navigator on the bridge, she bypassed Istanbul and completed transit of the Bosporus Straight, entering the Black Sea at 0918 on course 034, speed 15 knots. Within 2 minutes, USS Hawkins DD-873 and Mullinnix were performed a light line transfer. Hawkins and Mullinnix anchored in Eregli Harbor, Eregli, Turkey at 0801 on 25 March.
To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody
posted by Frank A. Wood at 15:03
1 Comments:
I was the helmsman and had one of the best times of my life during this op.
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