50 Years Ago Yesterday – Mullinnix Anchors At Cannes, France
50 Years Ago Yesterday – Mullinnix Anchors At Cannes, France
Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood
COMDESLANT, RADM Weakley joined Mullinnix on 28 May via a helicopter ride from Roosevelt. The ship anchored in Gulfo De La Napoule, Cannes, France with Roosevelt, Little Rock, USS Salamonie AO-26, USS Shasta AE-6, USS Hawkins DDR-873, USS Johnson DD-821, and US Rush DDR-714.
While in Cannes, vaudeville was relived on the torpedo deck one afternoon when George Jessel boarded the ship and presented a 45-minute show of music and comedy to the assembled ship’s company.
She left Cannes on 9 June to continue plan guard duty for Roosevelt. Between plane guard duty and gunnery exercise, the crew was kept busy through 14 June, when Mullinnix anchored in Golfo di Palmas, Sardinia. With two passengers from USS Johnston DD-821 (LTJG James S. Person Jr and BT2 James B Oliver, left steamed out of Sardinia, enroute to Palermo, Sicily. The ship moored starboard side to Pier Piave, Palermo shortly after 0800 on 16 June.
BT2 “H.G.” Roundtree and the rest of the Shore Patrol detail returned to the ship at 0120 on the morning of 17 June. She left the harbor at 0650 and by 0730 had exercised the crew at general quarters. Following the setting of the ASW attack team and securing same, Mullinnix took up plane guard detail fro USS Roosevelt CVA-42. USS Rush DDR-714 relieved Mullinnix at 1555.
At 0043 the ship identified radar contact bearing 315 at 17 miles as USS Springfield CLG-7. At 0600 on 18 June, she was released by OTC to proceed to station in special formation fro AF South Tenth Anniversary Naval Parade.
Midwatch on 19 June found Mullinnix operating of the coast of Italy in the Tyrrhenian Sea. The following day she positioned herself approximately 3000 yards northwest of Filfla Rock and at 1147 commenced shore bombardment exercise, firing to starboard. On 22 June, the ship headed to Augusta Bay, Sicily arriving at 0832 and anchoring in anchorage Z-12 in 10 fathoms of water with 45 fathoms of chain to the port anchor. By 1412 she was underway once again as a unit of Task Unit 60.2.9 in compliance with COMCARDIV 4 OP-ORDER 55-61.
Shore bombardment was again the order of the day on 23 June. She conducted direct fire, in direct fire, and D-day fire gunnery exercises. On the afternoon of 24 June the Navy added a little wrinkle to the exercises. The crew was called to general quarters at 1343 – SOP (standard operating procedure). But at 1408, the ship commenced surprise AA gunnery exercises. This required the mounts to first fire to port for 3 minutes. Eight minutes later, the mounts were ordered to fire to starboard for 2 minutes. Cease fire for 6 minutes. Commence fire – cease fire – commence firing to port – cease fire. By 1717 the ship had expended 115 rounds of 3”/50 cal VT non-frag, 12 rounds 5”/54 cal VT frag, and 82 rounds 5”/54 cal VT non-frag with no casualties.
During exercises in the early morning of 25 June, the ship’s visibility decreased to 75 years due to heavy fog. Fog description. She commenced sounding fog signals and stationed lookouts in the eyes of the ship.
To be continued...
Woody
Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood
COMDESLANT, RADM Weakley joined Mullinnix on 28 May via a helicopter ride from Roosevelt. The ship anchored in Gulfo De La Napoule, Cannes, France with Roosevelt, Little Rock, USS Salamonie AO-26, USS Shasta AE-6, USS Hawkins DDR-873, USS Johnson DD-821, and US Rush DDR-714.
While in Cannes, vaudeville was relived on the torpedo deck one afternoon when George Jessel boarded the ship and presented a 45-minute show of music and comedy to the assembled ship’s company.
She left Cannes on 9 June to continue plan guard duty for Roosevelt. Between plane guard duty and gunnery exercise, the crew was kept busy through 14 June, when Mullinnix anchored in Golfo di Palmas, Sardinia. With two passengers from USS Johnston DD-821 (LTJG James S. Person Jr and BT2 James B Oliver, left steamed out of Sardinia, enroute to Palermo, Sicily. The ship moored starboard side to Pier Piave, Palermo shortly after 0800 on 16 June.
BT2 “H.G.” Roundtree and the rest of the Shore Patrol detail returned to the ship at 0120 on the morning of 17 June. She left the harbor at 0650 and by 0730 had exercised the crew at general quarters. Following the setting of the ASW attack team and securing same, Mullinnix took up plane guard detail fro USS Roosevelt CVA-42. USS Rush DDR-714 relieved Mullinnix at 1555.
At 0043 the ship identified radar contact bearing 315 at 17 miles as USS Springfield CLG-7. At 0600 on 18 June, she was released by OTC to proceed to station in special formation fro AF South Tenth Anniversary Naval Parade.
Midwatch on 19 June found Mullinnix operating of the coast of Italy in the Tyrrhenian Sea. The following day she positioned herself approximately 3000 yards northwest of Filfla Rock and at 1147 commenced shore bombardment exercise, firing to starboard. On 22 June, the ship headed to Augusta Bay, Sicily arriving at 0832 and anchoring in anchorage Z-12 in 10 fathoms of water with 45 fathoms of chain to the port anchor. By 1412 she was underway once again as a unit of Task Unit 60.2.9 in compliance with COMCARDIV 4 OP-ORDER 55-61.
Shore bombardment was again the order of the day on 23 June. She conducted direct fire, in direct fire, and D-day fire gunnery exercises. On the afternoon of 24 June the Navy added a little wrinkle to the exercises. The crew was called to general quarters at 1343 – SOP (standard operating procedure). But at 1408, the ship commenced surprise AA gunnery exercises. This required the mounts to first fire to port for 3 minutes. Eight minutes later, the mounts were ordered to fire to starboard for 2 minutes. Cease fire for 6 minutes. Commence fire – cease fire – commence firing to port – cease fire. By 1717 the ship had expended 115 rounds of 3”/50 cal VT non-frag, 12 rounds 5”/54 cal VT frag, and 82 rounds 5”/54 cal VT non-frag with no casualties.
During exercises in the early morning of 25 June, the ship’s visibility decreased to 75 years due to heavy fog. Fog description. She commenced sounding fog signals and stationed lookouts in the eyes of the ship.
To be continued...
Woody
posted by Frank A. Wood at 09:23
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