USS Mullinnix DD-944

50 Years Ago (Yesterday) - Mux Leaves Norfolk for Exercises

2012-01-29T20:18:00.000-06:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood

She left port for yet more exercise on 29 January with USS Strong DD-758, USS Stribling DD-867, USS R.K. Huntington DD-781, USS Randolph, USS Stomres, USS Nantahala Ao-60, USS Skate SSN-578, USS D. H. Fox DD-779, USS Meredith DD-890, USS Lowry DD-770, and US Sirago SS-485. After this extensive training period at sea, Mullinnix moored port side to Pier D in Berth J3D, Charleston, South Carolina next to USS Vogelgesand DD-862, USS Ellision DD-864, and USS Everglades AD-24. After a short liberty visit, Mullinnix steamed out of Charleston on 14 February and returned to Norfolk on 16 February.

On 27 February, the ship steam towards Virginia Capes Operations Areas 9 and 15 in accordance with Virginia Capes Ops AREA Coordinator Message 262224Z of 4 February, returning pier side later the same day on to return to sea on 28 February. Mullinnix exercised with USS Bearss DD-654 and USS Sirago. She returned to D&S Piers on 9 March.

The ship was once again at sea on 22 March with her old steaming mate USS Randolph CVS-15. The surface ships were exercising with USS Grampus SS-523 while conducting sonar searches.

To be continued...
Woody

50 Years Ago (Yesterday) - Mux Rhyming Midwatch Deck Log

2012-01-02T09:01:00.001-06:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood

Mullinnix stayed moored through the Christmas holiday but was once again at sea on 28 December, exercising with USS Randolph CVS-15 and USS Laffey DD-724.

The ship spent her first New Years Eve at sea and the traditional rhyming midwatch deck log reflected that:

Steaming in company with Task Group 81.8,
Off the coast of North Carolina, is our New Year’s fate.
In a six ship circular screen, we’re number six,
USS Randolph CVS-15 is guide, on her position we fix.
Bearing 000, istance 4000 yards,
The JOOD says station keeping in not very hard.
Other ships present include Lowry and Blandy,
Perry, Stormes, and the Laffey.
Base course is 315, speed is one two.
Condition of Readiness 5 is set, plus Material Condition Yoke too.
Boilers 1A and 2A are on the line.
And 1 and 3 generators are running fine.
SOPA is CTG 81.8 in Randolph embarked,
While COMDESRON 32 on this vessel is parked.
Our movements are stated in COMASWGRU ALFA OP-ORDER 13-61,
So I’ll review 1961’s history, just for fun.

In January we were sitting at the D and S Piers,
At Norfolk we welcomed a happy New Year.
In February, we left for a long deployment,
Six months in the Med for the crew’s enjoyment.
March found us in Naples, Cannes, and Black Sea.
All were interesting places, and fun to see.
April and Barcelona, we’re sure to remember,
Bull fights and senioritis, we’d have stayed thru December.
In May we saw Taromina, Sicily, and Ancient Athens,
The city is modern now, not as tall as back then.
June and the French Rivera, a good combination.
With the pretty madamemoiselles we ahd friendly relations.
July in La Spegia with its surrounding beaches,
Made the summer days comfortable with the soft sea breezes.
August in St. Jean we’re not likely to forget,
As our last port it scored a big hit.
September was spent back at the D&S piers,
Re-united with our families and giving cheers.
But alas October found us busy at Key West,
Working for TEVDET, we were doing our best.
November found us in the Norfolk Naval Shipyard,
To repair our shop we all had to work hard.
And at last in December, our ship all mended,
To the ASW Force ALFA, we were appended.
It’s been a busy year, you’re sure to agree,
We’ve had two skippers, and commodore’s three.
But back to this watch, we’ve been busy,
If I don’t’ get started, I’ll be here ‘til Tuesday.
At 0025 boiler 2B was brought on the line
And changed course to 045 at the same time.
Time 0037, came to course one three five
Speed is 4 knots, the BT is taking a dive.
0047, BT on deck, speed is fifteen,
And back to our station we start to steam.
Secured fires under 2A boiler, 0050 is the time
Now all machinery is running just fine.
0109 changed speed to one two,
The JOOD has more station keeping to do.
At time 0302, a signal by flashing light.
To course 225 we came by turning right.
And then at 0306, a voice on the radio.
Said to course 315, the whole task force must go.
This watch is almost over for my relief is in sight,
So I’ll say Happy New Year to all and to all Good Night!

LTJG, C.M. Garverick

To be continued...
Woody

50 Years Ago Today – Mullinnix Leaves Dry Docks

2011-12-07T08:40:00.000-06:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood

20 years after Pearl Harbor, at 1410 on 7 December, shipyard personnel commenced flooding the drydock. With Mullinnix once again floating, the dry-dock doors were opened at 1705. She was moved to Pier 3, Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Virginia, alongside USS Dahlgren DLG 12. On 11 December she headed to NAVWEAPSTA. At 0700 on 12 December, the ship experienced a casualty in the main pump of 2B boiler. Late, she was moved along side of an ammunition pier in heavy fog. Once the ammo was loaded, the ship steamed towards VACAPES OPAREA COORDINATOR EXSKED 24-61.

She conducted firing exercise the following day expending 14 rounds of 5” 54 AA Common. She returned to D&S piers on 14 December.

Mullinnix stayed moored through the Christmas holiday but was once again at sea on 28 December, exercising with USS Randolph CVS-15 and USS Laffey DD-724.

To be continued...
Woody

50 Years Ago Today – Mullinnix Heads Towards The Dry Docks

2011-11-16T17:14:00.001-06:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood

In the early morning hours of 16 November, the ship was underway from Berth 8 and with the aid of YTB 232, headed towards Dry-dock Four. By 1030, Mullinnix was resting on hull blocks.

On 17 November, the members of the Hull Board met and reported the following:

• The underwater hull paint is in poor condition and require sand blasting and repainting
• The struts and shafting are in good material condition and the shaft’s protective coating is in excellent condition
• The struts need preservation and will be painted
• Screws are in good condition with only minor dents (which will be removed) and spoons in the trailing edges
• There is considerable cavitation on the port screw on the face of the blades in the aeas of the hub. These areas will be filled in with DEUCON plastic steel and smootled off
• The starboard screw has two areas of extreme cavitation on the back of the blades near the hub. They will be corrected in a similar manner as the port screw
• The protective zincs are approximately 50% deteriorated and will be replaced by a new type zinc anode
• The sonar dome was inspected and found to be in sound material condition
• The fairing stripe on the starboard side is loose but will not vibrate under operating conditions
• The dome will be sanded and polished by shipyard personnel. There are several large areas of cavitations on the hull in the vicinity of the dome. It is considered that this discrepancy is a result of the low frequency of the dome.
• There is excessive rust in all areas around the riveted seams on the hull
• The fathometer transducer is rusted and there is a bolt missing
• The hydrophone opening is clogged
• The welds on the bilge keels will require a close inspection for cracks and failures

To be continued...
Woody

50 Years Ago Today – Mullinnix Leaves Key West, Florida

2011-10-19T09:39:00.000-05:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood

The ship left Key West again on 19 October in accordance with COMOPTENFOR OPORD D/S 147-0-1 for submarine operating area.

Aircraft completed their buoy drop at 0808. With USS Spikefish SS-404 watching at 4,000 yards, Mullinnix maneuvered to retrieve buoys with motor whale boat. At 0950 HSS 52 was launched and cleared Mullinnix. By 0956, with Mullinnix steaming into the wind, HUL 35 was landed on the fantail. Later, HUL 35 was launched from Mullinnix and commenced attacks on submerged submarine using buoys. She returned to Key West the evening of 20 October only to return to sea on the 21st. But this time, headed north – home to Norfolk, arriving at 0913 on 23 October.

The ship was underway the following morning for Naval Weapons Station, Yorktown, Virginia. While maneuvering alongside pier at Yorktown, the ship’s port screw came in contact with wooden pilings. The screw guard was unable to protect the screw due to height of tide. Nor did the screw guard protect the OOD from the livid CO.
Divers later confirmed that all leading edges of the port screw had tooth effect on edge. Trailing edges showed signs of ‘spoon effect’, possibly resulting from contact with wooden piling. All other shafting and strut supports were found sound and in good condition. Engineering Officer completed inspection of port reduction gear and found no damage. The ship returned to D&S piers on 25 October.

To be continued...
Woody

50 Years Ago Today – Mullinnix Dodges Hurricane

2011-09-20T03:02:00.000-05:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood

On 19 September, Mullinnix left D&S piers for Chesapeake Bay Hurricane Anchorage amid fog, mist, and low visibility. AT 2000, she set the special heavy weather anchor detail. The storm, hovering in the low gray clouds all day, broke in earnest. The wind was shearing the tops off the swells and laying lashes of spray across the heaving glossy backs of the swells. By the midwatch on 20 September, engineering department was on 15 minutes notice ‘for getting underway’. Heavy weather plan was in put into effect. Weather reports indicated possibility of winds up to 40 knots by 0500. The ocean began to turn a color of glassy iron. A vast swell began to move vertically, like the rocking of the sea’s cradle.

At 0215 on 21 September, verbal orders were received COMDESFLOT 4 to return to Norfolk. Undamaged, the ship returned to D&S at 0805.

To be continued...
Woody

50 Years Ago Today - Mullinnix Heads Home From Med (Headed to Norfolk)

2011-08-16T12:53:00.001-05:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood

The ship arrived at Golfo Di Palmas, Sardinia at 1649 on 14 August. The following morning at 0830 US Newport News CA-148, USS Intrepid CVA-11, USS DuPont DD-941, USS Henley DD-762, USS Ault DD-698, USS Putnam DD-757, and USS Keith DD-775 stood into the anchorage and anchored. In accordance with BUPERS Message 101629Z, Captain I. C. Kidd, Jr. relieved Captain J. H. Carmichael, as COMDESRON 32 and COMDESDIV 321.

Headed home, finally… At 1418, Mullinnix pulled up anchor and headed home to Norfolk, Virginia.

To be continued...
Woody

Last U.S. Ground Forces Withdraw From Vietnam – 39 years ago yesterday

2011-08-12T09:16:00.002-05:00

With the deactivation of the 3rd Battalion of the 21st U.S. Infantry, the last American ‘ground’ combat units were pulled out of South Vietnam. The 1,043 man unit had been assigned to the U.S. airbase at Da Nang. However, sea operations continued and more than 40,000 U.S. servicemen remained in Vietnam.

Turn you sound on, and check out http://www.ussmullinnix.org/1972Vietnam.html to see if the war wa really over.

Also, this link will take you to about 10 pages worth of pictures from the coast of Vietnam, circa 1972: http://www.ussmullinnix.org/1972Pictures.html.

And of course, the crew of Mullinnix --- my shipmates: http://www.ussmullinnix.org/ShipCrew72.html

Drink one of us,
Woody

50 Years Ago Yesterday – Mullinnix leaves St. Jean

2011-08-07T13:39:00.000-05:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood

She left St. Jean on 7 August back to fleet operations. Where to? More firing exercises were conducted on 8 August, expending 52 rounds of 5”. Mullinnix engaged the replenishment group on 9 August, taking on fuel from USS Mississinewa AO-144 followed by ammunition transfer from USS Shasta AE-6. She commenced vertical replenishment from USS Altair AFS-32 at 1025 and by 1301 Mullinnix was transferring ammunition to USS Mississinewa.

She spent the next several days steam with USS Franklin D. Roosevelt CVA-42. The Roosevelt was the second of three Midway class aircraft carriers. To her crew, she was known as the "Swanky Franky," "Foo-De-Roo," or "Rosie," with the last nickname probably the most popular. Roosevelt spent most of her active deployed career operating in the Mediterranean Sea as part of the Sixth Fleet. The ship was decommissioned in 1977 and was scrapped shortly afterward.

At 1418 on 11 August, the ship lost the electrical load while shifting from 1 and 3 ship’s service generators to 2 and 4. She reshifted the load back to 1 and 3 but at 1428 a electrical fire broke out on the reefer decks. The ship immediately went to general quarters, setting material condition ZEBRA throughout the ship. The fire in the No. 2 reefer motor was quickly extinguished.

To be continued...
Woody

50 Years Ago Yesterday – Mullinnix leaves La Spezia, Italy

2011-07-22T12:48:00.000-05:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood
While in Naples, on 3 July 1961, Commander William H. Shaw USN, relieved Commander Hill as Commanding Officer, to become the ship’s third skipper. She was once again underway on 5 July to rejoined the fleet. She was ordered from operations in the Western Mediterranean to La Spezia, Italy in accordance with CTF 60 OP-ORDER 55-61 on the midwatch of 10 July, mooring starboard side to USS D.H. Fox DD-779 and USS Shenandoah AD-26 at 0803.
At 2008 on 22 July, Mullinnix slipped away from the pier, enroute to Aranci Bay, Sardinia, anchoring at ZULU 17 in Aranci Bay at 0618 the following morning. She left her berth at 1830 later the same day.
Mullinnix participated in NATO exercise “South Wind” air and anti-submarine operations on 27 July, focusing on anti-submarine attacks. After day after day of long never ending exercises, refueling, and what the crew felt was a general ‘screwing around’ in the Med, the ship was ordered to head to St. Jean, France on 29 July, anchoring at 0801.
To be continued...
Woody

50 Years Ago Yesterday – Mullinnix Anchors At Cannes, France

2011-05-29T09:23:00.000-05:00

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

50 Years Ago Today – Mullinnix Departs Athens, Greece

2011-05-22T19:44:00.001-05:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood

The ship steamed out of Athens on 22 May.

At 1403 on 22 May, Mullinnix sighted jet aircraft launched from USS Roosevelt’s port catapult crash about 100 yards ahead of carrier. The captain to the conn as he had observed a partly opened parachute about 20-30 feet above the water and about 100 yards astern of Roosevelt. A Navy helicopter raced to the scene and hovered over the parachute. Mullinnix proceeded to position of helo while she dropped the helo crew member into the water to assist the downed pilot. All engines stopped was ordered at 1413 while the helo crew recovered the pilot and left area to resume rescue helo station on carrier. Mullinnix was directed to undertake rescue of downed pilot. She lowered the motor whale boat to search area of crash. The pilot’s parachute was no longer visible. She proceeded to search the crash area steering various courses and speeds. The Mux’ whale boat recovered small pieces of aircraft debris, but their was no evidience of the pilot. Roosevelt ordered carrier propeller aircraft to assist in the search. At 1530, USS Little Rock CLG-4 and USS Laffey DD-724 joined in the search. At 1550, Mullinnix recovered her motor whale boat. The pilot was never recovered.

Mullinnix continued to participate in flight ops with Roosevelt until 24 May. That afternoon at 1512, following a successful full power run at 32 knots, she intercepted a message on fleet broadcast that said a passenger aboard SS Atlantic, 100 miles east of Malta, required assistance due to a possible perforated ulcer. Roosevelt dispatched a helicopter and Mullinnix steamed toward the stricken ship, spotting her at 1530. Ready to lower the whaleboat, the Navy decided to transfer the patient via helicopter.

To be continued...

Cheers,
Woody

50 Years Ago Today – Mullinnix Departs Barcelona, Spain

2011-04-26T15:20:00.001-05:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood

With the majority of the crew well rested (some had trouble walking), she steamed out of the harbor on 26 April, heading back to Sardinia. In the wee hours of the midwatch an unidentified surface contact turned out to be USS Grant County LST-1174, a De Soto County-class tank landing ship commissioned in late 1957 and named after counties in fifteen states. She will be the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name Grant County. USS Fremont APA-44 and USS Waldo County LST-1163 joined the formation a couple hours later. That afternoon she anchored in Sardinis near:

• USS Pocono AGC-16
• USS Seal Owl SS-405
• USS Exploit MSO-440
• USS Observer MSO-461
• USS Affray MSO-511
• USS Alacrity MSO-520
• USS McCard DD-822

At 1500, USS McCard reported a fire aboard but required no assistance. Mullinnix got underway at 1658. By 28 April, Task Force 61 had grown to almost 30 ships. The group practiced ASW exercise for most of the morning. Mullinnix anchored back in Porto Scudo Bay at 1155 only to leave again at 1442 in order to patrol gunfire support area, returning to Sardinia at 1715. She left and returned twice to Sardinia on 29 April. The crew begin to wonder if they were practicing the Navy’s version of ping-pong. After several days of extensive fleet exercises Mullinnix anchored at Taormina Harbor, Taormina, Sicily at 0802 on 3 May.

To be continued...

Cheers,
Woody

50 Years Ago Today – Mullinnix Experiences a “Hang Fire” in MT 51

2011-04-07T07:38:00.000-05:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood

While conducting drone firing exercises on 7 April, the ship experienced a hang fire (a round stuck in the barrel) in MT 51. Hang-fire occurs when there is a delay beyond the normal ignition time after the initiating action is taken (eg. the gun fires 15 seconds after the firing key is closed). The mount had been firing for only 2 minutes, therefore it was considered a “cold gun" condition, where the gun barrel and chamber wall temperature have not been raised by prolonged firing to a point where “cook-off” can occur.

Extensive testing of the 5"/54 under continuous sustained firing conditions had shown cook off temperature is achieved in approximately 3 minutes.

Cook-off occurs when components of the gun reach a temperature high enough (e.g. “hot gun”) to cause some form of explosive reaction in the projectile. As long as the breech is closed, cook-off will cause the round to be fired in a near normal manner. However, with the breechblock open, cook-off usually results in personnel injuries/fatalities and major equipment damage.

Regulations require that the gun mount remain idle for two hours in a safe firing bearing to preclude danger to other craft and friendly forces in the event of a cook-off. With fully charged fire hoses at the ready, MT 51 was fired to starboard at 1253, with the casualty restored.

To be continued...

Cheers,

Woody

50 Years Ago Today – Mullinnix Leaves Eregli, Turkey / Arrives Samsun, Turkey

2011-03-27T03:37:00.004-05:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood

The following morning, with the anchor aweigh at 0925 and the Captain on the conn, the ship headed to Samsun, Turkey, dropping anchor in this port at 0743 on 27 March.

At 0830, The Chief of Security, Samsun, Turkey, representig the Governor, made an official call on Captain John H. Carmichael, USN, COMDESRON 32. As customary, Mullinnix rendered honors. At 0921, COMDESRON 32 left the ship to call officially on the Governor, Samsun, Turkey and to lay a wreath at the monument of Ataturk. Later in the day, the Governor of Samsun returned the official call of COMDESRON 32.

Samsun, a relatively small village, is the provincial capital of Samsun Province and a major Black Sea port. Samsun is a long city that extends along the coast between two river deltas which jut into the Black Sea. It is located at the end of an ancient route from Cappadocia: the Amisos of antiquity lay on the headland northwest of the modern city. To Samsun's west, lies the Kızılırmak ("Red River", the Halys of antiquity), one of the longest rivers in Anatolia and its fertile delta. To the east, lie the Yeşilırmak ("Green River", the Iris of antiquity) and its delta

The US Air Force Radar site detachment invited Mullinnix for dinner and a softball game. The detachment was somewhat surprised to learn (the hard way) that the Mighty Mux had one hell of a softball team. A team, that would be invited to the All European Softball tournament in Naples, Italy later that year

The detachment’s surprised the Mux team when they brought out their mascot – a huge brown bar named Ivan. Ivan, like the service men, was fond of beer. Between softball, beer, and Ivan, the crew had a couple hours in which home was just a little closer in their hearts and minds.

The ship was underway the following morning for Istanbul, Turkey. Darkened ship was ordered with the exception of navigational lights, typical operations in this part of the world. Their Russian escort picked them up just outside the harbor and accompanied the ship back to the Straights. Before entering Istanbul harbor, the ship refueled from USS Salamonie AO-26. She anchored in Istanbul Harbor at 1121

To be continued...

Cheers,

Woody

50 Years Ago Today – Mullinnix Steams into the Aegean Sea

2011-03-18T15:03:00.000-05:00

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

50 Years Ago Today – Mullinnix Departs Cannes, France

2011-03-10T13:00:00.000-06:00

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

50 Years Ago Today – Mullinnix Departs Naples, Italy

2011-03-03T16:06:00.001-06:00

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

50 Years Ago Today – Mullinnix Arrives In Naples, Italy

2011-02-23T17:19:00.000-06:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood

Upon receiving 52, 462 gallons NSFO from USS Severn on 23 February, Mullinnix steamed towards Naples, Italy arriving at 0920 being Mediterranean moored at berth 72, Molo Angioino, Naples.

Much has been said about the hurricane bow of the Forrest Sherman Class. Many Tin Can Sailors stationed on older ships noticed as well. Sonny Walker, VP, Laffey Association (USS Laffey DD-724), recalls the 1961 Med Cruise, stated, “We were in DESRON 32 and the Mullinnix was our flag ship. We envied that high bow when the weather got rough.”

USS Laffey is significant because of her action on 16 April 1945, when she fought one of the most famous destroyer-kamikaze duels of the Pacific War. She was attacked by 22 Japanese kamikazes and bombers in the span of ninety minutes. She managed to shoot down 11 of the attacking planes while being hit by five kamikazes and two bombs killing 32 and wounding 71 of her crew. For this action she was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation

To be continued...

Cheers,

Woody

50 Years Ago Today – Mullinnix Experiences Low Water Casualty in 2B Boiler

2011-02-18T13:56:00.000-06:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood

On a ship, problems are never fixed. Ships are like a marriage – you’re never done making it better. While on exercises on 18 February, Mullinnix experienced a low water casualty in 2B boiler. She had to reduce speed to 20 knots with the fires were secured under the boiler. The engineers quickly cross-connected the main engineering plant while the BTs relit the fires under 2B. Once the boiler was brought back on line, the ship returned her speed to 27 knots. That evening she supported the Forrestal while the carrier performed flight operations.

Chaos theory attempts to explain the fact that complex and unpredictable results can and will occur in systems that are sensitive to their initial conditions. A common example of this is known as the Butterfly Effect. It states that, in theory, the flutter of a butterfly's wings in China could, in fact, actually affect weather patterns in New York City, thousands of miles away. In other words, it is possible that a very small occurrence can produce unpredictable and sometimes drastic results by triggering a series of increasingly significant events. On Monday, 20 February, Mullinnix and Fox had just taken up their plane guard stations astern of Forrestal, when at 1713 one of Forrestal’s fighter aircraft crashed into the sea off the port bow and sank. Was a butterfly responsible? Or was it insane to imagine that a single flap of a single seagull's wings would be enough to change the course of all future weather systems on the earth, and therefore Naval in-flight technical problems? Inevitable. Fate. Terms used by the Navy when carrying out their mission. The pilot, thankfully, was recovered by helicopter six minutes later.

In the early dawn light of 21 February, Mullinnix took on 64,035 gallons NSFO (Navy Special Fuel Oil) from USS Severn AO-61. Several hours later, a second special sea detail with USS Severn delivered mail to the Mux crew. Later, as the sun dipped below the horizon, USS Forrestal commenced flight operations with Mullinnix standing plane guard detail.

Shortly after midnight the ship passed through the Straits of Bonifacio enroute to rendezvous with units of Task Force 60 in accordance with COMCARDIV 6 OP-ORDER 51-61, followed closely by USS M.C. Fox DDR-829 and USS Forrestal. At 0744 she anchored in Golfo degli Aranci, Sardinia with the following ships:

• USS Springfield CLG-7
• USS Forrestal CVA-59
• USS Shangri La CVA-38
• USS Little Rock CLG-4
• USS Mississenewa AO-144
• USS Neosho AO-143
• USS Severn AO-61
• USS Shasta AE-6
• USS Suribachi AE-21
• USS Bigelow DD-942
• USS Mitscher DL-2
• USS Sumner DD-692
• USS D. H. Fox DD-799
• USS Corporal SS-346

To be continued...

Cheers,

Woody

50 Years Ago - Mux Pulls into Rota, Spain

2011-02-11T14:50:00.000-06:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood

At 1221 on 11 February, the ship proceeded to Rota, Spain for a brief refueling stop, mooring starboard side to a fuel pier. At 1935, the ship was once again underway for Pollensa Bay, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain. Shorty after the midwatch on the 12th, the ship passed through the highly congested Straits of Gibraltar, joining an Attack Carrier Striking Group which lay at anchor in Pollensa Bay at the northwest corner of Mallorca.

That morning, the fog lookouts were stationed at 1042. The bank rolled in like melted marshmallows on a never ending black-jack branch, appearing like a horizontal strip made by an artist’s #3 brush. Mullinnix crept through the fog as the visibility was practically zero. Occasionally the lookouts could hear a foghorn from one of the other ships. While still immersed in the fog, the ship stationed the ASW attack team at 1144 to pursue a detected sonar contact bearing 037, distance 4500 yards. She broke off the search about one hour later as the contacted was evaluated to be non-submarine.

On the morning of 13 February at 0758 she was anchored in Pollensa Bay in eight fathoms of water with a seaweed bottom. Her sister ship USS Davis DD-937 was received alongside to starboard a short time later. Mullinnix took on 15 rounds 5”/54 BL and P projectiles and 20 rounds VT non-frag from Davis. By 1614 she was underway once again to refuel from USS Truckee AO-147 then to rendezvous with USS Springfield CLG-7. Later that day, in conjunction with USS Saratoga CVA-60, the ship participated in ECM exercises.

At 0435 on 15 February, the ship was ordered to turn off all navigational lights. While darkened, she corrected course to 180 degrees by sinuous course clock, cam 1 and commenced turn count masking while Springfield and Shenandoah stood by.
At 0823, the crew was treated to a rare eclipse of the sun. As the sun ebbed behind the moon, the resultant shadow raced towards the Mullinnix like a blanket. In moments, the sun was three-quarters gone and the sea was sucking up the remaining light. The ship was in near darkness. The surface of the water was the color of tarnished bronze. The glow of the dying sunset filtered dimly onto the decks.
By early Thursday, 16 February, Mullinnix was steaming with Task Unit 60.1.9 that was composed of Springfield, Saratoga, USS Des Moines CA-134, USS O’Hara DDR-889, USS Stickell DDR-888, USS Cecil DDR-835, USS Steinaker DDR-863, USS Corry DDR-817, USS Wood DDR-715, and USS Leary DDR-879. At 0410, Mullinnix and O’Hara were detached from the group to conduct an ASW sweep. Midwatch until pre-dawn, with the aroma of strong coffee, the lifeblood of the Navy, permeated everywhere.

There’s nothing like the feeling on a ship at sea at night - the masthead lights, the red and green navigation lights and stern light, the pulsating phosphorescence of radar repeaters - they cut through the dusk and join with the mirror of stars overhead. The drifting off to sleep (assuming you’re not on watch) lulled by the myriad noises large and small that tell you that your ship is alive and well, and that your shipmates on watch will keep you safe.

When finished with the exercises a few hours later, she was anchored back in Pollensa Bay by 0803. She spent the night at anchor with various ships of the Sixth Fleet including USS Mississinewa AO-144, USS Dewey DLG-14, and USS Forrestal CVA-59, steaming once again at 1414 the following day.

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

50 Years Ago (Yesterday) - Mux Heads For the Med

2011-02-03T07:48:00.001-06:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood

Thursday, 2 February – a day that single, divorced, and unhappy sailors live for. The same day that makes family men, and their families, gloomy. Can anyone say, “Med Cruise?” In accordance with CDS 32 OP-ORDER 1-61, as a unit of TG 25.2, Mullinnix pulled away from her berth at D&S piers headed for Rota, Spain, entering international waters at 1145. She would be gone 7 months as the flagship of Destroyer Squadron Thirty Two. Seaman Recruit Jack Rothwell would have to catch up with his ship at a later date having been AWOL since 4 January.

These operations by the U.S. Sixth Fleet were such that peaceful and progressive relations were furthered with countries bordering the sea. European and Middle Eastern areas were stabilized by the sea based defensive forces, and the crew was ready to assist these neighbor nations in distress or too retaliated in defense of the United States.

Shore visits as well as underway periods for Mullinnix were utilized in support of these objectives. Diverse visits by the ship to major ports in France, Italy, Spain, Greece and Turkey assisted the President’s “People to People” Program, as well as providing time for relaxation in preparation for the extensive at-sea periods.

While underway, Mullinnix participated in all phases of air defense, anti-submarine, gunnery, amphibious and replenishment operations, as well as innumerable drills and competitive exercises in communications, engineering and damage control. Repeated participation in those activities led to increased operational readiness and better individual performances by the ship and he crew. While deployed to the Sixth Fleet, Mullinnix won excellence awards from Commander Destroyer Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet for outstanding performance in communications, operations, gunnery, and anti-submarine warfare.

By the next day, Task Group 25.2 was completed and included Mullinnix, USS Shenandoah AD-26, USS Suribachi AE-21, and DESRON 32 less USS Lowry DD-770 and USS Stormes DD-780.

The Atlantic in February just might be the ugliest sailor-unfriendly sea in the world. Howling wind, driving rain and sleet, mountainous waves of icy salt water coined the phrase, "pity the poor sailor on a night like this!"

McGhee and Smythe were grabbing a quick smoke on the 01 level, just forward, and above, the aft 3-in gun mount. It was a gray, raw morning with low clouds beginning to spit frozen rain. Two long banks of dark clouds with serrated edges straddled the horizon towards the sea. The sea was a heavy chop and the water was gray-green. Glancing down at the twin barrels of MT32, Smythe commented, “Fuck, there’s icicles hanging off the barrels.” With Mullinnix running more or less with the wind, McGhee pointed to the dimpled surfaces of snow that were started to form on the decks of the ship. A snow storm at sea - you didn’t see that every day. Within two drags of their smokes, it started snowing so hard the pair couldn’t see MT53 from where they stood. Smythe squinted against the stinging cold and took in the vague halos of the running lights. Taking a final drag and flicking his butt overboard, McGhee said, “Let’s get the fuck inside. It’s time to hit the maintenance schedule on the radar. Chief wants it completed before we see Spain.” They walked to the starboard hatch, opening it to a gust of warm air so heavy with moisture it seemed to have come from a humidifier, not the ship’s insides.

To be continued...

Cheers,
Woody

50 Years Ago Today –Mullinnix Participates in 2nd Fleet’s LANTFLEX

2011-01-16T09:00:00.001-06:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood

The ship left on 16 January for a brief Second Fleet LANTFLEX in the Virginia Capes Op-Area with her ever-present sailing partner USS Laffey DD-724 in accordance with COMCARDIV 4 OP-ORDER 1-61. Other ships present for these exercises included the heavy cruiser USS Newport News CA-148 (hi-lining GM2 Southerland to Newport News), USS Little Rock CLG-4, USS Forrestal CVA-59, USS Shangri La CVA-38, USS Northampton CLC-1, USS Canberra CAG-2, USS Mitscher DL-2, DESRON 8, DESRON 32 less USS Lowry DD-770 and USS Stormes DD-780, DESRON 4 less USS Gearing DD-710 and USS Vogelgesang DD-862, USS S.B. Roberts DD-823, USS Purvis DD-709, USS Triton SSRN-586,USS Sailfish SSR-572, and USS Pawcatuck AO-108.

Mullinnix, like any ship, was a microcosm of society – virtually every state, region, social class, and religion represented. This diversity made even these predictably boring LANTFLEX exercises seem almost tolerable. Exercises for what many wondered? Since the end of the Korean War, the world was at peace. Would the formidable firepower of the Sherman Class ever see action – real action? With a Med Cruise staring them in the face, 1961 appeared it was going to be a non-event. Wonder what ’62 would bring? With exercises completed, the ship returned to Norfolk on the morning of 20 January.

Minus SR Rothwell, Tegtmeier, and Fireman Morley, the ship got underway for anchorage FOXTROT, Newport News Channel, VA to unload hedgehogs on 1 February. It had to be 20 degrees outside and ten inside the steel-cold locker known as the MK68 Director, the wind-chill on the fantail toying with -15F. FTG3 Brian Smythe was half-frozen and numb sitting on the operator’s station inside the Director. Circulation in his extremities had stopped eight smokes ago. A freezing mist, turning to snow, was fast making his buddy (and boss) McGhee, Fire Control 2nd Class, an asshole.

Old man winter, with salt in his hair from the high seas or with snow in his beard from the Russian steppes, either can be your enemy or your ally. It's very much up to you. Even with only one E-6, the ratio ‘from petty officer to seaman’ was unfair. Smythe felt like he’d been screwed standing watch in the Director during ammo detail. Unbeknownst to Smythe, the man that assigned him to the Director, Howard McGhee, was standing watch on the fantail.

McGhee took a sip of his coffee and swallowed most of the enamel from his teeth. “Fuck its cold”, he thought. Glancing up, he watched as Signalman Glenshaw waved his flags, which he did in a way all his own, like a man very carefully drawing a diagram in the air. “Shit, how cold is it up there?” mused McGhee as the flags crackled in the snowy wind.

Snow began to fall heavily, coating Mullinnix like a soft white blanket. By 0902 visibility decreased to one mile. His foul-weather gear barely breaking even with the wind, he blew out great clouds of steamy breath. With the bitterly cold wind flapping the legs of his dungarees and pinching at his nostrils, McGhee stomped his booted feet to keep warm, thinking how he wished he was warm and toasty in the Director with Smythe.

Smythe was freezing his marrow. His self indulging laughter was silvery in the cold air, his breath a frosty puff, sitting in the director, the metal seat cold as the grave.

Mucus from McGhee’s nose had frozen in twin lines on his upper lip. His eyebrows were white with frost, as where his eyelashes. His cheeks were an unnatural red, and some drool was frozen to his chin. Finally, the ship came to a stop and McGhee could hear the anchor chain play out as the anchor crashed into the icy water. Once anchored, US Navy YTF-294 and YTF-328 came alongside port and off-loaded 188 service hedgehogs. By 1544 Mullinnix was back at Pier 20, moored port side to USS Sierra AD-18 - one last chance for crew members with families to make it home early to say goodbye to loved ones.

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

50 Years Ago Today –Mullinnix Rings In The New Year 1961!

2010-12-31T17:05:00.000-06:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood

“I must go down to the sea again;
to the lonely sea and the sky;
and all I ask is a fast ship;
and a star to steer her by."

000-0400 Mid watch, Sunday, 1 January, 1961 (From Mux Deck Log entry)

As a brand new year comes once again,
The good ship Mullinnix rests in the U.S.A.
The time has come to pick up a pen
To write the log or New Year’s Day.
The weather is clear, the temperature mild
And the ship is moored starboard side to.
Though in the past the weather’s been mild,
Tonight we rest calmly with a weary crew.
Standard lines doubled are all that’s required,
With a wire fore and aft to be sure
We’ll stay safely put should the lines become tired.
Las year it was a Mediterranean Moor
Which held us in Naples, while in the Med.
We’ve since sailed far and wide
But in all our ports good relations led
To America’s good will still undenied.
To France, to Spain, and to Italy too,
Our proud ship sailed with the Sixth Fleet,
Till February when our cruise was through,
And we headed for home to once again meet
Our loved ones and friends whom we hadn’t seen
Since August of ’59 when we left on our cruise.
To drydock we went, our bottom to clean,
Our sides to point and old sonar to lose.
The shipyard installed a new sonar for us,
And soon we sailed to Guantanamo.
Down there we were training at sea plus
Working at night. And so
We were glad to come home for three weeks
Before sailing again on the sixth of September,
After shining our brass and patching some leaks.
This time came a cruise we long will remember,
For 29 days were spent out at sea
And we crossed the Artic Circle one day.
We visited Antwerp in Belgium where we
Stayed six days before we made our way
Down the Schelde River and to sea once more
To set our course toward home.
Again our families were waiting ashore
As we dressed the ship and polished the chrome.
And except for a short southern trip
We’ve been in local waters or here in port.
Tonight we’re in Norfolk, as the southeast tip
Of Virginia, at the U.S. Naval Station, a sort
Of home away from home. Cold
Iron watches are set in all
Main propulsion spaces. Se we’ve rolled
Out the shore power cable lest the voltage fall,
And the steam lines for auxiliary steam,
With fresh water and phone lines also provided.
Units of the Atlantic Fleet are on the port beam,
And the starboard as well. Some foreign vessels have decided
To spend New Year’s here, with a few
Yard and district craft nearby.
COMSECONDFLT is SOPA and a new
COMDESRON 32 has broken his pennant high
In this ship since last New Year’s Eve.
And so as we rest quietly at our pier,
And the time comes for the watch to relieve,
It’s appropriate to will all a “Happy New Year”.

Noel J. Fenton, LTJG, USNR
Examined: H.G. Dudley, LCDR
Approved: H.G. Dudley, LCDR, Acting Commanding

Following the rhyming midwatch report, the first entry in the new year’s log was courtesy of SK2 Panko. “R.C.” blessed the ship with his arrival after being UA since New Year’s Eve.

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

50 Years Ago Today –Mullinnix Steams Out of Gitmo, Headed Home

2010-12-07T08:15:00.000-06:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood

Pearl-Harbor-Day, 1960 found Mullinnix getting underway back to Norfolk in accordance with COMSECONDFLT Msg 062103Z. At sea the wind is never inconsistent. Always, at a minimum, a steady knotage matching a ship’s speed. The air was filled with the astringency of the sea. Frail clouds moved like tattered paper across the morning sky.

General Quarters was sounded at 1239 on 8 December. “This is NOT a drill, THIS is NOT a drill” thunder across the 1MC due to a class “B” fire in the “Reefers” – Reefer Room compartments 3-42-O-L. The flames were extinguished quickly by the repair party using CO2. Salt water was used to cool the deck. The cause was determined to be a flare-back in the acetylene bottle while a workman was adjusting the flame on his Helide Torch. Somebody was in trouble as the flame arresters were missing from the torch. A red devil blower aided in clearing the area of smoke. Fortunately, damage was limited to about two square feet of paint burned from the deck of the compartment. Regardless how small, fires aboard ship while at sea are no laughing matter. With the crew living above a series of magazines and fuel tanks, the fire is either put out or you head straight to your abandon ship station – assuming you can outrun the explosions of ammunition and jet fuel.

To shake off the cobwebs, aches, and pains, the ship performed a four hour full power trial on Friday, 9 December. It was a beautiful morning. The sea was calm and she was heading North towards Virginia. A light wind whip up as the ship gained speed and the shoreline faded into the distance off the starboard side. Salt spray kicked up around those on the 01 level as the Mux sped over the low swells. They breathed in the fresh smell of salt air as the ship’s speed peeked at 35 knots at 0806. The following morning, she rested contently at Pier 23 at D&S Piers, in anticipation of a longs winter nap and the upcoming holiday season.

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

50 Years Ago Today –Mullinnix Returns to Norfolk

2010-11-22T15:35:00.000-06:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood

On 21 November, the ship performed maneuvering exercises with numerous ships including USS Suribachi AE-21. Regardless how hectic a ship’s exercises may be, the Navy can always find time for a good ole’ fashion Captain’s Mass even during the most busy of times as Seaman Recruit (SR) Tegtmeier found out the hard way. And, God help Fireman Maurice if he ever decides to return to the ship. She returned to Norfolk on the morning of 22 November. Tegtmeier met his ‘party’ on the quarterdeck and they escorted him to the U.S. Naval Brig at Camp Allen for three days of the Navy’s version of a Weight Watchers diet. Shortly after that, with the USS Hank DD-702 moored alongside to port outboard, the ship’s damage control party put out a trash container fire on the pier at 2245, using a firehouse broken out amidships.

With the crew bolstered by two with the return of SD3 Goodman (courtesy of the local Shore Patrol) and SHSN Bennett (on his own), the ship was ordered underway once again on 30 November, along with four other ships of DESRON 32, to join the Caribbean Naval Patrols. While enroute, the crew practiced small arms off the fantail, expending 1600 rounds of .45 caliber ammunition. 1600 rounds? Did they save any for the Commies? They crew was then mustered to GQ and all 5-in mounts were fired expending a few star shells and AA common. Not to be out done, the 3-in crews showed off by firing 40 rounds 3”/50 VT(NF) projectiles.
On Saturday morning, 3 December, the ship met up with USS Nipmuc ATF-157 and transferred two camera personnel via the motor whale boat. The day was calm, patches of pale blue were appeared over low streaks of clouds, the pale grey tinged with pink. With the opportunity to show off for the cameras, the ship commenced gunnery exercises, expending 41 rounds of BL&P, 60 rounds AA common, 96 cases of non flashless powder, and 5 cases of flashless powder. At 1423, with the Captain on the CONN and the aid of YTB 524, she tied up to pier Charlie, U.S. Naval Base, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba with standard lines. As GITMO custom dictates, any ship refuels ASAP after tying up the pier – just in case. Yes, even before liberty call. For some the day was even longer. RMCS Wood and six of his shipmates drew the short straw and pulled Shore Patrol duty.

Sunday isn’t an observed holiday in GITMO. Must be a Castro thing. Mullinnix was underway for a couple days of exercises with the USS Wasp CVS-18 and USS Pawcatuck AO-108. She was back in GITMO Tuesday evening, 6 December, moored portside to pier Lima. Later that evening, USS Ingham W-35 moored alongside to starboard. The Ingham was a Secretary Class Coast Guard Combat Cutter from World War II. These 327 foot ships kept the lifelines of the Allied war effort open, escorting convoys across the Atlantic, down the seaboard of the US, and through the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. The USS Alexander Hamilton CG (WPG-34), fell victim to a U-boat's torpedo in January, 1942, becoming the first US warship lost in combat in the Atlantic after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

Thank a Vet Tomorrow - Veterans Day

2010-11-10T17:37:00.000-06:00

In 1918, the “war to end all wars” was over, on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day in the eleventh month, the world rejoiced and prayed.

The following year, November 11 was set aside as Armistice Day, to remember the sacrifices made during World War I. Congress voted Armistice Day a federal holiday in 1938.

In 1953 townspeople in Emporia, Kansas called the holiday Veterans' Day in gratitude to the veterans in their town. Soon after, Congress passed a bill renaming the federal holiday to Veterans' Day. In 1971 President Nixon declared it a federal holiday.

After the Vietnam War, the emphasis on holiday activities shifted. Fewer military parades and ceremonies were replaced with veterans gathering at the Vietnam Memorial in D.C. to place gifts and stand quiet vigil at the names of their buddies who fell in the Vietnam War.

Don’t wait until 11AM tomorrow. Hug (and thank) a Vet early, often, and all day.

Drink one for us,
Woody

50 Years Ago Today –Mullinnix Returns to Norfolk

2010-10-20T08:04:00.001-05:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood

The Triton, a U.S. Navy nuclear-powered radar picket submarine, was the first vessel to execute a submerged circumnavigation of the Earth, accomplishing this during her shakedown cruise in early 1960. She also had the distinction of being the only non-Soviet submarine to be powered by two nuclear reactors.

With NATO exercises finally completed, Mullinnix headed home for Norfolk. The strenuous and stressful ‘cruise’ had taken its toll on the crew. The Commanding Officer held mast for three shipmates for assault and disorderly on board ship. One received a Summary Court-Martial, the other solitary confinement on bread and water for three days. She arrived, no less from wear, at Pier 20, berth 206, portside of USS Dewey DLG-14 at Norfolk’s D&S Piers at 0819 on 20 October. By 1232 the ship had taken on 69,609 gallons of fuel.

Early Saturday morning, on 29 October, tugs YTB-131 and YTB-390 breasted out USS Putnam DD-757 then moved Mullinnix (under cold plant) to Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth. In compliance with COMDESFLOT 4 (Admin) mag 282118Z and COMDESLANT 290400Z mag, the ship was assigned restricted shipyard availability to accomplish emergency repairs to her economizer tubes. Pilot White disembarked by 0853 and the ship shifted from emergency electrical power to shore power. SOPA was Commanding Officer, USS Randolph CVS-15.

She returned to D&S Piers on 14 November. After receiving pyrotechnics and fuel, Mullinnix departed for Second Fleet Exercises with USS Forrestal CVA-59, and USS Laffey DD-724 of the Virginia Capes according to COMDESFLOT6 OPORD 4-60. To maintain peak readiness, the ships operating together while muster their crews at numerous drills. During the afternoon of 16 November she fired 32 rounds of 5-in AAC. Later the ship used her motor whale boat for a personnel transfer with USS Seneca ATF-91. This was followed by exercises with USS Triton SSRN-586, sister-ship USS Manley DD-940 and USS Northampton CLC-1.

Under a night sky black as tar, starless and cold, Mullinnix hooked up with Task Unit 25.2.1 during the mid-watch on Thursday, 17 November. The unit consisted of Northampton, Laffey, Manley, USS Mitscher DL-2, USS J.C. Owens DD-776, USS Strong DD-758, USS McCard DD-822, USS Johnston DD-821. After refueling from USS Salamone AO-26, she engaged in ASW exercises with Laffey and USS Corsair AGSS-435. This constituted a Z-5-G firing exercise that expended 12 rounds of 5-in VTNF and 10 rounds 3-in 50 VTNF.

On Friday, 18 November, USS Ellison DD-864 and USS Cone DD-866 joined the other ships in an eight ship concentric circular screen exercise. Days were filled with high line transfers, abandon ship drills, man over board drills, and GQ after GQ after GQ.

The next day, under a blood-streaked morning sky, found Mullinnix in the company of DESRON 4 ships (less USS Gearing DD-710 and USS Vogelgesang DD-862) and DesDiv 321 (less USS Lowry DD-770 and USS Stormes DD-780). As the sun rose and the sea surging under Mullinnix’s hull, drenching the focele in spray, she stationed her ASW attach team and pursued a sonar contact in a zig zagging pattern in accordance with Plan 21, base course 320 degrees in the company of Corsair, USS H.J. Ellison DD-864 and USS Turner DER-834.

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

Happy Birthday NAVY! 235 Years Old And Still Kick'in Butt!!!

2010-10-13T13:53:00.001-05:00

October 13, 1775 constitutes the birth of the Navy, when the Continental Congress authorized and sent out two armed sailing vessels. These ships carried crews of 80 and served three months at sea to intercept British transports carrying munitions and stores for their army in America.

Drink one for me,
Woody

50 Years Ago Today –Mullinnix Leaves Antwerp, Belgium

2010-10-09T21:29:00.000-05:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood

The ship received 521 visitors on 6 October and 528 on the 7th. However, all good things must come to an end. In accordance with COMCARDIV 6 OP ORDER 56-60, Mullinnix pulled away from the pier at 1117 on Sunday, 9 October under the watchful eye of Pilot Captain F. Van Zwynsvoorde. Captain Zwynsvoorde’s role was to guide the ship through Schelde River Channel. At 1437 he was replaced with Captain R. Legein, who continued to guide the ship through Western Schelde and debarked the ship at Buoy 1A at 1615. She then steamed towards rendezvous Point Quench in the English Channel in the company of USS Laffey DD-724, USS Claude Jones DE-1033, and USS Lester DE-1022.

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

50 Years Ago Today –Mullinnix Pulls into Antwerp, Belgium

2010-10-01T09:59:00.000-05:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood

Saturday, 1 October found the ship in a concentric circular screen with 23 other US and NATO ships. The following day, steaming in company with Task Element 20.9.7.2 composed of USS Laffey DD-724, USS Lester DE-1022, and USS Claude Jones DE-1033, she departed NATO operations and headed towards Antwerp, Belgium in accordance with Commander Carrier Division SIX OP-ORD 56-60. The rumors coming true, it appeared.

In route, the ship received the fleet’s Chaplin via highline from the Laffey. At 0433, Civilian Belgium Pilot Captain E. Nierynck came on board the aid the ship to enter Ielihgen channel. At 0922 she entered Belgium waters. Civilian tug Michel Gerling came alongside to starboards and took tow line from Mullinnix. She maneuvered at various speeds and courses to moor alongside berth 21, Schelde River Quay, Antwerp, Belgium.

Like many Flemish cities Antwerp grew up around two settlements : the ‘aanwerp’ or ‘alluvial mound’ from which the city probably derives its name, and Caloes, 500 meters further south. A fortification was built on the mound around the seventh century. Christianization also began in that period. In the ninth century, when Antwerp became part of Lorraine, that ‘castellum’ was destroyed by the Norman's.

Antwerp, daughter of the River Scheldt, host of the VII (7th) OLYMPIAD in 1920, and second largest city of Belgium. The inhabitants call it the 'Metropolis' (Antwerpians are known in Belgium for not being too modest). It is the second largest harbor of Europe (after Rotterdam). Antwerp is a splendid city with numerous architectural highlights, most of which date from the 16th (the golden era of Antwerp) and the 17th century. The destructions of the Second World War, unfortunately, has scarred somehow the fair face of the old town. Still there are enough monuments left for those who like monument-hopping to spend a few days admiring them. The past is also represented by the numerous paintings of Peter Paul Rubens who lived in the Antwerp in the early 17th century.

Antwerp is also the diamond center of the World. ‘If diamonds really are a girl's best friend’, than a number of the crew didn’t waste their time visiting the diamond district near the railway station. The presence of many 'Chassidic' Jewish people in this same district gave the city a flair that couldn’t be found in other Belgian cities.

The night life? Well, in a word, it would put the strip outside D&S Piers to shame. The crew felt like they had arrived in a northern wonderland with places like Cafe d'Anvers, situated in the city's red light district (called "Schipperskwartier"), considered by many to be one of Belgium's finest dance clubs. From flashing lights to flashy decor, the scene was for extroverts, and sailors, only. Once inside, a balcony provided the crew a bird's-eye view of the dance floor, where crowds grooved to house beats.

Or De Pelgrom – with it’s ambiance of a charming tavern serving Belgian brews, occupying a 16th-century cellar. Most aspects of the decor fit the age-old theme, from long wooden benches to candles for (almost all) the illumination. Distressed brick walls contributed to the medieval aesthetic.

Or De Vagant which boasts Belgian gin over its better-known cousin, Belgian beer. Here, jenever is the only drink on tap, although it's available in more than 200 formulations. Shipmates drank from traditional gins to wild concoctions like blood orange or passion fruit jenever.

Antwerp was as lively after dark as it is busy during the day. FTGs Howard McGee and Brian Smythe couldn’t wait to hit the beach. The thick wet fog was just lifting as they walked off the gangplank but mist still rose from the harbor’s water. Taking a deep breath of icy air, Smythe said, “ Howard (he never called McGee by his first name), ya’know something?...

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

50 Years Ago Today –Mullinnix Engages USS The Sullivans DD-537

2010-09-26T08:59:00.000-05:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood

26 September, the crew was once again at GQ at midnight. By 0025 they were simulating firing main battery on surface raider. At 0829 Mullinnix was steaming at 20 knots to intercept contact bearing 040T, distance 11,400 yards. At 0842 she sighted the contact and identified it as non other than USS The Sullivans DD-537.

The five Sullivan brothers enlisted in the Navy and served together aboard the cruiser USS Juneau. On 13 November 1942, while fighting off Guadalcanal, the five brothers died with seven hundred other sailors when the USS Juneau was sunk by a Japanese submarine. President Roosevelt directed that one of the new Fletcher class destroyers be named after the brothers. The USS The Sullivans was launched in San Francisco on April 4, 1943.

The ship sported the shamrock of Ireland on her forward stack and sailed into World War II with 23 crew members named Sullivan. She fought in the Marshalls, Carolines, Mariannas and Philippines and earned nine battle stars. After deployment in Korea, the Cuban blockade, and the rescue efforts for the sub Thresher, she was laid up. The vessel was acquired by the City of Buffalo and is on display at the Buffalo and Erie county Naval & Servicemen's park. It has been designated as a National Historic Landmark.

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

50 Years Ago Today –Mullinnix Crosses the Arctic Circle, Becoming Blue Noses

2010-09-20T15:53:00.001-05:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood

Fire Control Technicians Howard McGee and Brian Smythe sat on the mess decks, trying their best to finish chow.

“This sucks!”

“What?”

“Steaming, steaming, steaming and doing what? Where’s the rest of fuckin’ NATO”? asked Smythe. “I hate waiting!”

“I’ve spent more time in the chow line than you’ve been in the navy, Smythe.”

“You wouldn’t think looking at a cup of coffee for two minutes was a long time. But you just try it sometime, it’s an eternity.”

“Things are looking up. Tomorrow we earned our Blue Nose.” Said McGee.

Indeed. On 20 September, Mullinnix crossed the Arctic Circle, enshrining the crew into the ‘Northern Domain of the Polar Bear’.

Mullinnix steamed into a purpling sky. The crew could hear the blowers speed up, the vibration increase in pitch and intensity, seeing the wake spread out as she dug her tail in. The sea was running in long rolling swells, sparkling with light on the crests and dark grey with the depth of the ocean in the dips. You could hear the Atlantic’s low grumble, as if it were getting mad.

Midwatch, 21 September, the US fleet met up with ships from the NATO fleet in the Norwegian Sea – HMS Ark Royal R-09, HMS Hermes R-12, HMS Camperdown D-32, HMS Defender D-114, HMS Darling D-05, HMS Delight D-119, HMS Dainty D-108, HMS Camperdown D-32, HMS Nootica DDE-215, and HMCS Haida DDE-213 (British Tribal Class destroyers built for Canada).

Civil twilight was listed as 5:45 AM, a naval term referring to the first glimpse of a defined horizon. Smythe took a drink. The coffee was like battery acid – or was that his stomach? He’d been called to the aft director to aid in the search for unidentified radar contacts. Mullinnix, along with USS Willis DE-1027 and HMS Iroquois DDE-217 were on patrol. McGee had ask him to train the two new FTSN in the operation of the director itself and the Rangefinder. He’d be stuck here all fucking day.

The rhythmic six foot swells forced Mullinnix to roll with the ocean. At 1758 the IMC barked, “Darken ship! Show no white lights topsides!” Smythe couldn’t remember a longer or worst day than this. He’d sent the two FTSNs to chow about 30 minutes ago just so he could have a few minutes of piece and quite.

“Hey deuce bag, you still in there,” yelled McGee has he climbed the ladder to the top of the director.

Recognizing McGee’s voice, “Ram it up your ass – sidewise!”

“Yea? And I hope your next shit is square! Hey, I heard the skivvywaver announce over the bitch box that the breadburners have creamed foreskins on toast and SOS ready on the mess decks. You interested?”

Ignoring the menu update, “This is the last shit detail you dump on me for a long time brother. Those two are stone cold fucking stupid! The skinny one, what’s his fuckin’ name? He’s ten hairs away from a fucking baboon! My fun meter is fucking pegged!”

“Tell me how you really feel, why don’t you?” asked McGee.

“Not worth a shit, but thanks for asking.”

“Well, maybe I can cheer you up.”

A fireman apprentice had learned of “it” from a cook rumored to be in the know, who’d gotten it from a steward completely on the up-and-up, who’d heard it firsthand from one of the boot-Ensigns, who’d been invited to a strategy session held by the XO.

“Rumor has it we are getting liberty in Antwerp, Belgium. Can you believe that shit?”
“You wouldn’t lie to me would you McGee? I’m in dire need of some good news for a change.”

“Nope. Word has it, we have a few more days at sea. Then onto Antwerp!”

“Maybe things are looking up a bit. I woke up with a boner the size of a 3” shell this morning.”

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

50 Years Ago Today –Mullinnix Participants in NATO Exercises

2010-09-06T10:08:00.001-05:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood

The NATO FALL EXERCISES began on 6 September as Mullinnix with COMDESRON 32 embarked, deployed for NATO fleet operations per COMCARDIV SIX OP-ORDER 56-60. Besides Northampton and Norfolk, she was steaming in the company of Laffey, USS Willis A. Lee DL-4, USS Shangri-La CVA-38, and USS Boston CLG-1. The ship’s crew sharpened the skills on ECM exercises, helicopter details, masking and narrow eave maneuvers. At one point, on 10 September, Mullinnix was part of a 14 ship eccentric circular screen. Later that same day, she topped off her fuel tanks with almost 70,000 gallons of NSFO, courtesy of USS Caloosahatchee AO-98.

With preparation complete, the fleet headed north. Mullinnix was in the company of many of the Navy’s finest ships of the day. It literary read like a ‘who’s who’ in modern warships. Name’s like Shangri-La, Essex, Northampton, Boston, Macon, Norfolk, Mitscher, to name a few. The other NATO countries would surely know when the ‘big guns’ appeared on station.

Besides the Caloosahatchee, fuel oil was supplied by a number of oilers and larger ships, including USS Nantahala AO-60 and USS Trucker AO-147. As the days passed, the fleet grew in number when they were joined by ships from DESRON 4, DESRON 32, DESRON 20, DESDIV 82. In the wee hours of 15 September, Mullinnix was operating with 20 other US ships.

A ship is a jealous spouse, always demanding attention of some short – chipping rust, painting, preventive maintenance, testing, repairing, more chipping, more painting. The hectic watches when the exacting minuet of haze-gray shapes racing at flank speed keeps all hands on a razor edge of alertness. On top of the normal routine, the demands of steaming in the North Atlantic in conjunction with the pressure to perform flawlessly in the upcoming exercises took its toll on some of the crew. On 16 September, Seaman Ray O’Rourke and SK2 George Bombardiere were up for Captain’s mast for sleeping on watch and indirect disobedience of an order respectively.

The sea was green and black, doomed by a sky bursting with stars, so cold in their configuration they seemed to smoke like dry ice. The air was damp and cloudy, the sea a wintry gray and the tang of salt strong on the wind. Midday on 19 September, she received mail from USS Alstede AF-48.

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

50 Years Ago Today – DESRON 32 Hoists Pennant Aboard Mullinnix

2010-08-16T09:38:00.001-05:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood

On 16 August, Captain J. H. Carmichael assumed command of DESRON 32 and hoisted his pennant aboard Mullinnix. A one week tender availability was completed on 22 August. That date, the ship got underway to participate in FALLEX WARMUP, a brief exercise in preparation for the NATO FALL EXERCISES of 1960. No rest, so it seemed, for the sailors abroad the Mux.

By the midwatch on an early Tuesday morning, 23 August, Mullinnix was steaming in the company of USS Northampton CLC-1, USS Norfolk DL-1 (the first destroyer leader of the United States Navy), USS Elokomin AO-55, USS Truckee AO-147, DESRON 32 minus the ships Stormes and Lowry, USS Wallace L. Lind DD-703, USS Macon CA-132 (she would be decommissioned the following March), and USS J. C. Owens DD-776 operating off the Virginia Capes in accordance with COMCARDIV SIX OP-ORDER 57-60.

Northampton was part of the US Government's plan for continuity of government and reported to be a "floating White House" to which the President could be evacuated in the event of nuclear attack. As such she was designated as part of NECPA, National Emergency Command Post Afloat. The USS Wright was her sister ship and also designated part of NECPA. The ship was modified with an extra deck, the tallest communications mast in the Navy and multi-link communications gear.
The ships were participating in submarine screening exercises and barrier patrols in preparation for the upcoming NATO exercises. Mullinnix returned to Norfolk midday on 27 August. She spent the day on 29 August, loading ammunition from YF378 at anchorage EX2, returning to D&S later in the day.

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

50 Years Ago Today - Mullinnix Prepares For “Final Exam” in Gitmo

2010-08-10T06:59:00.000-05:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood

The ‘final exam’ was on 10 August with the ship teeming with Fleet Training Group observers watching their every move and decision. The exam began with the stationing of the low visibility navigation team at 0749. Once in the open sea the real test began. The Mullinnix would face an ORI battle problem – maneuvering on various courses and speeds while conducting drills under simulated wartime fighting conditions. The bridge suffered a direct hit at 1044, forcing steering to be shifted to after steering – using hand steering power. Shortly there after she set material condition CIRCLE WHISKEY – in preparation for a underwater nuclear burst.

After the Operational Readiness Inspection on 11 August, Mullinnix had completed her Refresher Training. The morning of 12 August, the Mighty Mux was headed back to Norfolk and a welcomed rest. By 1430 on 14 August the crew found themselves at D&S pier #21.

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

48 Years Ago Today - Mullinnix Crew Looses Marilyn Monroe

2010-08-05T14:52:00.001-05:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood

The crew didn’t know, but on 5 August, they’d lost one of their all-time favorite movie stars, pinup girls, and Playboy cover girl. Screen icon Marilyn Monroe had been found dead in bed at her Los Angeles home. The 36-year-old actress' body was discovered in the early hours of the morning by two doctors who were called to her Brentwood home by a concerned housekeeper. The doctors were forced to break into Miss Monroe's bedroom after being unable to open the door. She was found lying naked in her bed with an empty bottle of Nembutal sleeping pills by her side. The local coroner, who visited the scene later, said the circumstances of Miss Monroe's death indicated a "possible suicide".

Her 1954 marriage to baseball star Joe DiMaggio lasted just nine months and on 29 June 1956 the star married playwright Arthur Miller. But that marriage ended in 1961. Miss Monroe's romantic life has long been the subject of speculation and she has been linked with President Kennedy. Millions of fans around the world would be deeply shocked by the star's premature and tragic death.

An occasional first issue of Playboy would periodically appear somewhere on the ship – only briefly, only on rare occasions, but there existed ‘more than one copy’ stowed away in small safe cervices that only their owner knew where. Her likeness would appear on five additional Playboy covers in the coming years.

Just because the crew was in daily exercises didn’t mean the ship’s equipment couldn’t, nor wouldn’t break down. At 1310 on 9 August, the ship had to shift steering compass repeaters to the MK23 master gyrocompass due to erratic operations if the MK19 Gyrocompass.

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

50 Years Ago Today - Mullinnix Arrives in Gitmo

2010-07-09T07:03:00.000-05:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood

She arrived in Gitmo on the morning of 9 July, tying up to pier VICTOR. After ‘arrival inspection’ by the Fleet Training Group on 11 July, the intensive six week period of underway training featuring daily gunnery, communications, engineering, anti-submarine warfare, damage control and operations exercise began.

Day after day after day were filled with getting underway, exercising the crew at GQ, engineering and gunfire support drills, and target acquisition and designation exercises. The training was intense and without injuries. Fireman Donald Bradley, fractured a finger on his right hand wile securing the main steam stop in the forward fire room. Meanwhile, above decks, Gunners mate striker Dick McAllister sprained his left angle while jumping of MT31. Most evenings the ship would return to Gitmo. For those who wanted, there was liberty. But who wanted it?

Some of the ships and submarines that Mullinnix exercised with included USS Balao ACSS-285, USS Strong DD-758, USS D. H. Fox DD-779, USS Charles S. Sperry DD-697 and USS J. C. Owens DD-776. Afternoons were often spent with only the Weapons Department at GQ. They would focus their attention on trying to down aircraft towed sleeve or sleds pulled across the ocean’s surface by tugs. By the weekend of 16-17 July, the crew was given the Saturday and Sunday off to rest up and relax a bit – in sunny Gitmo Bay, Cuba.

On the ensuing sunny Monday AM, Mullinnix was swapping personnel with USS Mitscher DL-2. All of this training by the ship’s fleet was managed by Rear Admiral F. E. Fenno, USN, COMNAVBASE, GTMO. When they weren’t practicing high-line transfers, they were participating in AA defense exercises or sneak attach by aircraft drills. And, just to keep things interesting, they’d throw in the occasional man overboard drill or full power run or even a casualty drill.

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

50 Years Ago - Mullinnix Leaves for Gitmo

2010-07-06T07:54:00.001-05:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood

Under a haloed moon, typically an omen that meant bad weather was on its way, the fires were lit under 1A boiler. On 6 July, the ship began independent steaming to U. S. Naval Base, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba for refresher training in accordance with COMDESLANT Quarterly Employment Schedule. The term ‘independent steaming’ may imply a leisurely trip down to Gitmo, kind of like the calm before the storm. That wasn’t the case. In the first day alone the ship conducted a steering casualty drill, GQ, engineering casualty drill, abandon ship drill, and exercised the crew at GQ for a fire drill – all before 1900.

Smythe and McGee were on the fantail enjoying a smoke before the movie on the mess decks at 2000. The Atlantic was hidden by night. The only sound was that of the ship slipping through the growing wavelets.

“Did you feel that?” ask Smythe. He meant the way Mullinnix was taking the sea. The wind was off her port side now. “We’ve turned more easterly.”

“Don’t panic, but it might mean a storms brewing ahead.”

The chop crew larger. Nothing in view except endless waves rolling blue-green against a dark blue backdrop of sky. By the time they’d lit their second smoke, the seas were running at six feet. Mullinnix creaked and moaned in the swells, but held her course.

Smythe watched with satisfaction as a new crew member turned green and leaned over the lifeline, dry heaving nothing into the sea.

“Ya’know,” mused Smythe. They don’t call Cape Hatteras the ‘Graveyard of the Atlantic’ for noth’in.”

McGee was about to answer when the 1MC cracked. "Darken Ship! Show no white light topside."

The sound of dry thunder like crackling cellophane leaked from the clouds that gave no rain. Moments later the clouds broke loose and hailstones as big as mothballs clattered down on the decks of the ship.

“It’s time to hit the movie Smythe. Let’s move!”

The two ran to the aft starboard hatch near the base of MT52 and headed forward up the main passageway to the mess decks. Upon entering, the screen already having been assembled, a gray-blue cloud hung above the tables. The snack machine contained petrified snacks. The coke machine -well- coke. Coke in little paper cups covered with a film of wax, supposedly to prevent the coke from eating through it. The challenge was getting a firm enough grip to keep from dropping it on the deck while at the same time keep from crushing it in two. five cents bought you a disposal cup filled with a pre-measured amount of syrup and fizzy water mixed at the last minute before running into the cup. Tasted something like slightly chilled carbonated bug juice. Ice? In your dreams.

The rain began to fall like silver arrows in the running lights, each drop exploding in a white blur against the bridge windows then streaming down it so copiously that the wipers could not clear it fast enough.

Smythe grabbed a cup of charred coffee. McGee halfheartedly picked up something that superficially resembled a cinnamon Danish.

“Damn man, this coffee is so strong it could walk to the bridge by itself,” suggested Smythe.

McGee, settling in for the movie, only provided, “hurmph.” Leaning back, he studied the overhead. Although there was nothing up there to look at other than the occasional roach racing forward or aft on its choice of miles of shielded electrical wiring bundles, his thoughts wondered to what lay ahead in Gitmo. Week after week of relentless training in an attempt to perfect a score that only a few understood.

“What’s the movie tonight?” someone asked.

“The Man Who Knew Too Much!”

“What the fuck’s that about?”

“Alfred Hitchcock, asshole. Shut up and watch. It’s a good flick!” someone announced.

Once most had settled down, coffee cups continued to rattled in their saucers. The overhead lights were snapped off; the space darkened as Zippo lighters clicked to life. Immediately, the Bell and Howell sixteen millimeter projector ground to life. The credits rolled and blue cigar and cigarette smoke swirled before the screen.

One hour and twenty minutes later, after only one real change (short movie), the projector stopped, then was threaded for re-wind. Eyes blinked as bright lights flashed on in the smoky room, snapping the crew back to reality. Time for the sack. Some of them would be up at 2330 for the midwatch.

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

50 Years Ago - Mullinnix Prepares to Leave for Gitmo in 2 Days

2010-07-04T19:08:00.001-05:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood

On 6 July, Mullinnix will steam towards Gitmo, Cuba for training, training, and even more training...

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

50 Years Ago - Mullinnix In Her 1st Extensive Drydock Period

2010-03-02T15:57:00.003-06:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood

She had calm seas the rest of the journey (from the Med). At 0623 on a the 26th with a morning sky that was a clear pale blue above a narrow smudge of grey clouds, the Captain ordered the stationing of the navigation team. The special sea and anchor detail was set 29 minutes later. Anticipation grew as the ship slipped past Thimble Shoals Light abeam to starboard 720 yards. Then past Fort Wool at 0816 followed by Sewalls Point at 0831. By 0840 she was maneuvering to go alongside pier 20 (starboard side, berth 201 in a nest with Stormes and Lowry) at Destroyer-Submarine piers, amidst the cheering crowd of family and friends.

The captain secured the special sea and anchor detail at 0905 and set the regular in port watch. Before the top of the hour, RADM H. G. Knoll, COMDESFLOT 4, paid an official visit on COMDESRON 32.

No rest for the weary. At 0505 the following morning the electrical load was shifted to the engineering diesel generators and shore power was secured. Underway on a dead plant, with the assistance of YTB 536 and 222, Naval pilot Captain L. W. George guided the ship to W-1 anchorage at Hampton Roads, Virginia. The crew commenced to unload all 5”/54, 3”/50, small arms ammunition, hedgehogs, and other miscellaneous ammunition on board.

6 hours later, the crew had empty the ship of all explosives. With the guidance of Naval pilot Captain Rice and YTB 502 and 501, she headed to berth 30, pier 4, Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Virginia. The next couple of weeks were for preparation for entering dry dock for the first time. After a new ship’s first significant voyage, it is common practice for her to enter into a rather short dry dock period to insure that everything is still shipshape and watertight.

The day had dawned wet and dreary. At 0650, Mullinnix was undertow from berth 30 in route for Dry Dock #4. By 0725 her bow had passed over the still. The crew was somewhat in awe as a vast majority of them had not sailed through the Panama Canal in their careers. With the caisson in place, shipyard personnel began pumping water out of the dry dock. Slowly but surely, the big ship settled onto the keel blocks until, at 1306, she was completing out of water. A strange site indeed, to see your ship out of water - literally.

With the ship on the blocks the focus was in preparation to receive wave after wave of shipyard workers. These workers would inspect, test, repair, re-inspect, and fix anything and everything that needed it. A near-new ship arriving would leave as a brand new one in short order. Everyone headed to their regular duty stations.

In route to his duty station, FTG2 Howard McGee stepped in the mess decks for some coffee. Pulling two mugs from the collection, he poured them full of coffee that was nothing more than high-octane sludge and dumped five heaping spoons of sugar into his. Setting the other one in front of FTG3 Brian Smythe, “You didn’t want sugar did you?”

Smythe answered, “How do you drink that shit?”

“Gives me energy.”

“How much energy do you need to run preventive maintenance on a computer all day?”

“Good point.”

Though the crew remained berthed on the ship, during shipyard working hours, the ship took on a new and unusual look. Un-uniformed masses of humanity were everywhere, working on everything, acting like the crew were annoying gnats. There was no doubt, they had a plan and a schedule, but it was invisible to the crew. To most, they felt like they were working for civilians. A feeling that simply went against the grain.

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

NOTE: Next post will be on 9 May, when Mux comes out of drydock - or does she? Stay tuned...

50 Yrs Ago Today, Mullinnix Anchors at Golfo di Palmas, Sardinia

2010-02-12T07:26:00.001-06:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood

She anchored at Golfo di Palmas, Sardinia on the morning of 12 February and returning to sea the following day. While import, DESRON 32 was relieved by DESRON 22. She conducted maneuvers with USS Benham DD-796 and USS Hale DD-642 on the 15th. At 0837, Mullinnix commenced building up speed for a one hour full power trial. She peaked at 34 knots at 0920. The rooster-tail that is generated by a ship of this size steaming at 34 knots is one of Navy’s most thrilling sights.

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

50 Yrs Ago Today, Mullinnix Steams Towards Barcelona, Spain

2010-01-25T08:09:00.001-06:00

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.

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

50 Yrs Ago Today, Mullinnix Berths @ Molo Garibaldi, La Spezia, Italy

2010-01-14T08:40:00.000-06:00

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.

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

50 Yrs Ago Today, Mullinnix Sets Sail From Naples, Italy

2010-01-04T16:11:00.000-06:00

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

50 Yrs Ago Today, Mullinnix Berthed in Naples, Italy for New Years Day

2010-01-01T18:15:00.000-06:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood

0000-0004 Mid watch, Friday, 1 January, 1960 Deck Log:

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

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

Merry Christmas From Mullinnix in Naples Italy – 50 Years Ago TODAY!

2009-12-25T16:30:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,
Woody

50 Yrs Ago Today, Mullinnix Berthed in Naples Italy for Christmas

2009-12-23T16:07:00.000-06:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood

The ship made it ways to Naples, Italy on 23 December, mooring in berth Quebec one Molo San Vincenzo breakwater with Vogelgesang, US Johnston DD-821 as well as Boston, Mississinewa, USS Yellowstone AD-27, Essex, USS Chewaucan AOG-50, Stormes, M.C. Fox and various vessels of foreign registry, plus assorted harbor craft. Naples would be the site of the first Christmas, unfortunately not the last, spent away from family and friends by the crew.

The 50’s were a bitch…

To be continued...
Merry Christmas,
Woody

50 Yrs Ago Today, President Eisenhower talks to crew of Mullinnix

2009-12-15T09:22:00.001-06:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)

15 December was a historic day for the Mullinnix and its crew. The following was recorded in the ships log on the 12-1600 watch by LT G.D. Walker:

“Ships present include USS Des Moines, USS Essex, RHMS NIKI 65, and
RHMS Velos 16. The President of the United States
(Dwight D. Eisenhower – the 34th President of the United States)
is embarked in USS Des Moines.
COMSIXTHFLT is embarked in USS ESSEX.
COMDESRON 32 is embarked this ship.”

Mullinnix was honored by being selected to act as primary escort ship for President Eisenhower when he traveled from Athens to Tunis to Toulon aboard the USS Des Moines CA-134 for his eleven nation goodwill tour “QUEST FOR PEACE”. In Toulon, the President spoke directly to the crew by radio and congratulated them on doing a magnificent job.
Wednesday, 16 December was witness to the flight in ‘special formation’ as it proceeded to Tunis, Tunisia. At 1515 the crew manned the rail as HMS Tyger C320 rendered honors to the President embarked on Des Moines. Once the ships arrived in Golfe De Tunis, Mullinnix patrolled the area between anchorage of USS Des Moines and Cap Carthage.

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

50 Yrs Ago Today (Pearl Harbor Day), Mullinnix Investigates a Sonar Contact

2009-12-07T08:03:00.000-06:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)
Early on the morning of 7 December, 18 short years after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Mullinnix steamed out of the harbor at 0724 for operations in accordance with COMSIXTHFLT OpOrder 60-59. The crew was exercised at general quarters for ASW exercises to investigate a sonar contact, steamed and maneuvered with the Essex, refueled from the USS Mississenewa AO-144, mail transfer from USS Stormes DD-780, and performed ASW operations in area TURK with USS Piper SS-409 and USS Vogelgesang DD-862.

The following day she rendezvous with Task Group 63.1 consisting of USS Betelguese AF-260, USS Altair AKS-32, and USS Hyades AF-28. While taking on supplies from Altair, Seaman R. A. Cable was injured when a tripod snapped on aft station and the supporting stanchion struck him in the groin.

On Friday, 11 December, 8 minutes after securing from refueling from the Mississenewa, the bridge lost steering control. The captain immediately ordered ship’s speed to be reduced to 10 knots while aft steering assumed steering control. Steering was shifted back to the bridge after it was discovered the casualty occurred when the load was lost on the ship’s service generators 3 and 4.

Exercises continued into Saturday with man over board drills, Z-2-T practice with USS Vogelgesang DD-862 with the Mullinnix acting as the target. She then transferred mail to Stromes followed by transferring ENS Fleming, RD1 Newman, and TM3 Double to Vogelgesang. The ship then conducted Z-4-AD gunnery tracking exercises. After the three shipmates were returned safely to the ship, Mullinnix completed a mail transfer via helicopter.

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

50 Yrs Ago Today, Mullinnix heads to Golfe Juan, France

2009-12-03T10:50:00.001-06:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)

The moon was out in the early morning of 3 December, but the night sky was cloudy, creating rings of light around the moon. Mullinnix steamed with Boston and Essex in route to Golfe Juan, France, anchoring at 0819 for a very brief visit. By 1340 the ship was underway for Cannes, France, anchoring a short time later at 1423 at Golfe De La Napoule, Cannes with 60 fathoms of chain to the starboard anchor. Ships present were Boston, Essex, USS M.C. Fox DD-829, and USS Piper SS-409. By 1526 she was headed to San Raphael, France, arriving later that day.

From 3 through 6 December, Mullinnix, Essex, Boston, Vogelsang, Myles, and C. Fox aided relief efforts in the San Raphael area after a dam burst.[i]

Their stay unexpected disrupted, Mullinnix was underway at 1543 on 4 December to investigate a submarine contact in accordance with orders of COMDESRON 32. A few minutes later the ship went to ASW General Quarters.

The captain told the OOD, “Sound general quarters, one ASW.”

“Aye, aye, Captain,” Ensign W.E. Pheris leaned into the pilothouse and called, “Right ten degrees rudder, Steady on course one-two-zero. Boatswain mate of the watch, sound general quarters one ASW.”

The boatswain’s pipe blew, the 1MC gonged; men dropped what they were doing. Tucking pant legs into socks, buttoning all sleeves, and tugging on life jackets, they ran to their general quarters stations.

“All stations manned and ready, Captain.” Announced Pheris.

“Thank you Mr. Pheris.”

The captain ordered a narrow weaving pattern on various courses while conducting the search for the submarine contact. For over an hour the ship and her crew searched relentlessly as waves burst into ropes of foam on the bow, spraying a fine salt mist on MT51. The sky was slate-gray. The wind tightening the chests of the men manning the torpedo tubes and hedgehogs.

This was it. This was real. They were excited and scared at the same time. The excitement showing in one eye, terror in the other. There is something obscene in the face’s ability to pair these two attitudes, as though the mind is shared equally between a moron and a reptile. After what felt like hours and hours of their nerves on high-alert, Mullinnix was detached and proceeded to Golfe de Napoule, Cannes, France to debark personnel from Essex and Boston. She was underway at 1922 arriving in Golfe Juan, France at 2021.

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

50 Yrs Ago Today, Mullinnix moored at Palma, Mallorca Island, Spain

2009-11-19T08:19:00.000-06:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)
Having steamed by the mountains of the north-west coast, with only Puig Mayor remained capped with snow, Mullinnix was moored port side to USS Sierra AD-18 along with USS Laffey DD-724, and USS Benham DD-796 at Puerto Pi West Breakwater, Palma, Mallorca Island, Spain on 19 November. Destroyer-tenders like the Sierra are ships designed to provide maintenance support to a flotilla of destroyers or other small warships. They are the machine shop, electrical contractor, supply depot, and all around mother ship for the smaller fighting ships of the fleet.

Mallorca Island is south and slightly east of Barcelona. Palma overlooks a small bay near the southwestern finger of the island. Palma de Mallorca is the capital of the lozenge-shaped island which many call Majorca. The snow capped mountains looked like a char-grey tablecloth carelessly dropped over a sleeping giant.

Since the 1950s, the advent of mass tourism radically changed the physiognomy of both the city and the island, transforming it into a center of attraction for foreign visitors and attracting workers from mainland Spain. This contributed to a huge change in the traditions, the sociolinguistic map, urbanization and acquisitive power. The boom in tourism caused Palma to grow significantly. In 1959 the Mullinnix sailors were accompanied by 500,000 visitors to Majorca.

The climate in Palma was typically Mediterranean with warm average temperatures and seasonal rains. With night came increasing humidity and mugginess that forced the crew to seek out the many local restaurants and bars. Palma was one of the best places on the island for nightlife. It had a wide range of clubs, bars, restaurants, sex shops and topless bars, the nightlife buzzing all night long. One of the busiest places was Sa Llotja. The pubs and bars here tended to get very packed and stayed wound up until past three in the morning. Then the crew headed off to the Passeig Maritim, where the drinking and dancing continued in the bars and dance-clubs that stayed open till at 6AM. Two of the Mux favorites were the Crazy Cow and Made in Brazil.
To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

50 Yrs Ago Today, Mullinnix steams towards Cartagena, Spain

2009-11-15T15:45:00.000-06:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)
The following day, steaming independently, Mullinnix sailed towards Cartagena, Spain at 10 knots on boilers 1A and 2B, with s/s generators 1 and 3 on the line. Once the anchor was dropped in the outer harbor, with material condition YOKE and condition of readiness 5 were set throughout the ship, fourteen Spanish and American Armed Forces personnel came aboard for passage to Almeria, Spain. The officers included RADM. Calvar, RADM. Guistian, Brig. Gen. De Juan, Col. Ristori, Col. Mas, LCDR Vallespin, Maj. Carreras, Capt. Amergual, Lt. Ciere, Lt. Passamer, Lt. Morena of the Spanish Armed Forces. Capt. Carlson, USN and Lt Col. Neville, USMC were also present.

At 1542, she was anchored in Golfo De Almeria, Almeria, Spain, in twenty fathoms of water, sand bottom, with sixty fathoms of chain to the port anchor. Ships present include Boston, USS Fidelity MSO-443, USS Exultant MSO-441, USS Fearless MSO-442, USS Avenge MSO-423, and USS Casa Grande LSD-13. At 1555 RADM Calvar, RADM Guitian, Brig. Gen. De Juan, Col. Ristori, Col. Mas, LCDR Vallespin, Major Carreras, Captain Furtia, Captain Amergual, LT Ciere, LT Pasamar, LT Morena, Captain Carlson, USN, LTCOL Neville, USMC, transferred to Boston.

The moon was down, the sky black with rain clouds as Mullinnix steamed under darkened ship conditions with USS Cone DD-866 on the mid watch of 16 November. When a ship is darkened, suitable and frequent inspections are necessary to insure that she is effectively darkened both as viewed from other ships and from aircraft. A ship that is not effectively darkened is promptly informed by adjacent vessels. Smoking and the use of flashlights may disclose the presence of a ship which is otherwise effectively darkened. Suitable measures are taken to prevent these practices on exposed decks or other places from which such lights might be seen by an enemy.
When a ship is darkened the ship's bell is not struck to indicate time; bugle calls, band music, and loud speakers are not sounded on the top side, and other noises which might disclose the ship's presence are eliminated. The whistle is used as through the ship were not darkened unless the officer in tactical command directs otherwise.
To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

50 Yrs Ago Today, Mullinnix pulls into St. Raphael, France

2009-10-28T13:16:00.000-05:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)
Mullinnix, like many ships, suffered her share of scrapes and bruises. Nothing can compare to her sister ship Decatur. Earlier, on 29 August, she suffered an engine room fire while docked in Naples, Italy. The fire was extinguished after two hours during which the ammunition stores were flooded as a precautionary measure. On 27 September, 1963, her sister-ship USS Barry DD-933 will accidentally discharge a torpedo into her deck house while moored alongside in Newport, Rhode Island. Fortunately, there were no injuries or significant damage. The following year on the 6th of May, she will collide with USS Lake Champlain CVS-39 in the Atlantic 150 miles east of Cape Henry, Virginia. Decatur will sustain heavy damage to its superstructure (both masts lost, the bridge & both stacks crushed), again there are no personnel injuries.

With the sky forked with lightning, the air pungent with the promise of rain, Mullinnix, in the company of USS Laffey, anchored at St. Raphael, France at 0816 on 28 October. Liberty call was announced for the ship’s crew. The weather continued to deteriorate throughout the day. Thick clouds turned the water a dark gray with only a few white flecks of foam here and there. Gulls flew low, wings kissing the water, their distorted shadows in a race they would never win. With the wind at 30 knots, the sea rolling, featureless, sheet metal gray, the Captain suspended all boating at 1850.

Orders were given to the engineering department to be on 10 minute standby for getting under way. Word was relayed to the shore patrol parties to order everyone back to their respective ships.

St. Raphael was a relatively small town that spread in broken fingers into the valleys and up the sides of low rolling hills, lush green broken occasionally with clusters of man-made structures lining narrow winding routes that passed for roads. Each cluster constituted a disjointed chain of bars, casinos, cafes, and brothels spread over a wide area causing unobserving sailors to stray far and wide.

They’d headed off to the nearest cluster. There, to overhaul the entire culture of the Navy and maybe even get laid, or at a minimum, drunk. The quartet were greeted by a quaint and tidy southern French village with arched stone bridges, standard French architecture, relatively friendly people and the proverbial sturdy gray stone church built by missionaries.

Hungry the four stopped in the first bar they spotted that served food. They ordered a couple dozen oysters and bottles of French wine – one each.

“Hey, is it true these things are an aphrodisiac?” asked Benson.

As a BM3, Benson’s dungarees should have identified him a working man. His didn’t. Pressed shirt, knife-crease in his pants, mirror shine on his boondockers. Ball cap fitted like a major league third baseman. Key chain on his left most belt loop with enough keys to open a car dealership. He had red hair and a narrow nose that ended abruptly above thin lips, all courtesy of his Irish ancestry.

“Not really,” answered is buddy, six-foot four-inch Sam “Stretch” McDonald. “I had a dozen in the last port and only 11 worked.” Waiting for some laughter and not getting any he added, “Old joke.”

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

50 Yrs Ago Today, Mullinnix replenished from USS Denebola AF-56; USS Altair AKS-32; and USS Canisteo AO-99

2009-10-23T17:18:00.000-05:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)
The special sea detail was set at 0540 on the morning of 23 October. The early morning air was dry but crisp. Most of the crew had on their dungaree jackets. The wind whistled up the cuffs of their bell bottoms and suck their body warmth away like a witches’ thorax on a cold winter’s night. The sky was a striped fiery orange, and the clouds between were pink. First, Mullinnix set a replenishment course 090, speed 10 knots, to commence her approach to USS Denebola AF-56. Shortly after, at 0750, the 1MC trilled again, violent as the trajectory of a bullet, and the ship was alongside USS Altair AKS-32 to take on stores.

In 1959, USS Altair had received a helicopter-landing platform to enable her to carry out early vertical replenishment operations. She also received a complete material handling system, which included new elevators, forklifts, trucks, conveyor belts, and the first electronic accounting system to be placed aboard a ship. This greatly facilitated her task of keeping track of the more than 25,000 items in her general stores inventory.

By 0850, Mullinnix was taking on fuel from USS Canisteo AO-99. As she came along side, the white orb of sun suddenly disappeared behind the massive oiler’s superstructure. Following refueling, the ship proceeded to station SAU I in formation 6V1 to continue operational exercises with the fleet.

During fleet operations, the force steams in a variety of deceptive formations to ensure any detection system does not see the classic "bullseye" formation made famous in countless public affairs shots and never used in operations. At 0922, Mux commenced broad weaving and turn count masking – a practice where a multi-engine ship operates her main engines at different random RPMs to confuse an adversary as to its actual speed by controlling acoustic emissions.

Other deceptions and tactics included the use of sprint and drift tactics to vary the composite radiated noise signal level generated within a group of ships, blending into sea lanes, deceptive lighting at night (blacked out warship) to imply merchant or cruise liners instead of warships, use of surface search radars similar to ones used by commercial ships, and minimizing any kind of transmissions.

While commencing a zigzag plan and conducting ASW exercises, Mullinnix proceeded to investigate a Mad contact – a contact through magnetic-anomaly-detection. It was later identified as a local fishing trawler.

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

50 Yrs Ago Today, Mullinnix Departed Mitilini

2009-10-20T07:37:00.002-05:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)

Mullinnix departed Mitilini the morning of 20 October under clouds crackling with thunder that gave no rain. The crew felt that Mullinnix was moving, but at that moment it was as if the clouds were in motion and Mullinnix was still and waiting. A number of the crew took the motor whale boat to the USS Laffey to function as engineering drill observers. The party included ENS Max Downham, ENS Gary Smith, ENS Charles Garverick, SFP2 Taylor, DC1 Williams, EM3 Ross, BT2 Jacobs, MM1 Tansey and MM2 Alterio.

The engineering spaces of these older cans left something to be desired. Their smell was like a mix of salt and rot. The rust had freshly painted surfaces on the run. Williams, Jacobs, and Tansey knew what they were in for as all had served on older cans before being assigned to Mullinnix. The biggest trouble they saw wasn’t the Laffey, rather pulling duty with three ensigns. Ensigns – all were college jocks, most were arrogant, no work ethic nor people skills, and all lacked simple humility.

Ensigns Downham, Smith, and Garverick had troubles on their minds as well. Tin cans had always been insular places, protective of their traditions, virtually incestuous in their shipmate relationships and attitudes toward other sailors. Ensigns weren’t consider sailors – a tradition ensigns simply weren’t apart of and never would be.

However, they were the leaders of this little expectation. The problem they faced was with leading sailors. They never were quite sure if the enlisted men were following or chasing them.

Mullinnix, as with the other ships, continued to do her share to bring the good will of the American people to Europe. While conducting operations in the Aegean Sea, she received a message that a local man, E. E. Staypol, was seriously ill on Irakia Island and desperately needed transportation to a hospital in Athens. In a matter of minutes, the private affliction of one man became the concern of the entire ship’s company. As the Muxmen fired up the boilers, the temperature rose and the steam drove the dual shafts faster and faster, forcing the steel of the bow to knife through the water that lay between them and the stricken man. When Mullinnix arrived at the tiny fishing village of Ayios Kirikos, Commodore Kelly himself went ashore to supervise the removal of the man from the island to the ship.

Once aboard, the EOT rang full speed. As the ship sped towards Athens, Chief Hospital Corpsman Sumners administered treatment to ease the man’s suffering from his post-operative complications. Steaming all night at 25 knots on 1A and 2B boilers, Mullinnix entered the harbor of Athens at 0508. With the aid of civilian pilot Captain Ben, Mullinnix moored port side to Custom House pier in Kentrikos harbor, Piraeus. The rising sun made the water look like hammered copper. After delivering their patient to an awaiting ambulance, Mullinnix’ crew was underway at 0617, speeding back to fleet operations.

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

Mullinnix Enters the Med For The 1st Time - 50 Years Ago Today

2009-08-18T14:25:00.000-05:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)

On 18 August, she proceeded to anchorage Alpha Two Golfo de Palmas, Sardinia. Golfo de Palmas is in the south-west portion of Sardinia. The island of S. Antioco, joined by a narrow isthmus and a group of bridges to the mainland, forms a good natural harbor to the south of the isthmus. Other ships present included USS Boston CAG-1 (ComCruDiv 2 embarked), USS F. D. Roosevelt CVA-42 (ComCarDiv 2 embarked), sister ship USS Bigelow DD-942 (COMDESRON 6 embarked), USS J. C. Owens DD-776 (COMDESDIV 322 embarked), USS Zellars DD-777 (COMDESDIV 162 embarked), USS Charles S. Sperry DD-697, USS Massey DD-778, USS Meredith DD-890, along with USS Lowry and USS Fox.

Upon arriving in the Mediterranean, Mullinnix (and Bigelow) were the newest United States destroyer in the Mediterranean, in addition to being the flagship for Commander, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 32. As such, she was visited by many dignitaries including West German Minister Strauss. Minister Strauss had the opportunity to experience highline transfers close up and personal as he arrived from the heavy cruiser USS Des Moines CA-134 at 1355 on 22 August. He departed Mullinnix the same way he arrived, highlining to the USS Roosevelt.

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

Mullinnix Sets Sail On Her 1st Med Cruise - 50 Years Ago Today

2009-08-07T12:18:00.000-05:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)

With her ASW readiness at its highest and under the command of her new CO, she set sail on her first Mediterranean deployment to join the 6th Fleet on 7 August 1959, joining the Sixth Fleet about 10 days later. Underway in accordance with CT 24.4.2 movement 4-59, she joined up with the task unit at 1017. She crossed the Atlantic with DESRON 32 minus USS Strong and USS Lowry. Joining her were USS Nantahala AO-60, USS Canisteo AO-99, USS Suribachi AE-21, USS Hale DD-642, USS Benham DD-796, USS Fiske DDR-842, and USS Hawkins DDR-873. This task force rendezvous with USS Essex CVA-9 on 12 August.

This was indeed a strike force - energetic darting destroyers, plodding fleet auxiliaries, sleek submarines, big-gun ships, and straight steaming carriers. …proud names of Navy ships: Roosevelt, Saratoga, Essex - memorials to great battles won and past presidents. The lean angular names of Navy ‘tin-cans’: Benham, Fiske, Mullinnix, Bigelow, -never-forgotten memories of heroes who served before us. The heavy hitting cruisers memorializing our great cities – Des Moines, Boston. To this, our allies in Europe would be introduced, the biggest, badest, meanest strike force afloat in the world.

For east coast ships, it simply didn’t get any better than a Med cruise. Sure, its ten days to cross the Atlantic with all her foul temperament, but the shear thrill of it. The sounds of the Navy - the piercing trill of the boatswains pipe, the syncopated clangor of the ship’s bell on the quarterdeck, the harsh squawk of the 1MC and the salty language and vulgar laughter of sailors as they work. This is what it was all about. This is why men signed up. This was the Navy.

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

CMDR Hill becomes Mullinnix’ 2nd CO - 50 Years Ago Today

2009-07-31T07:06:00.000-05:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)

On 31 July, 1959, Commander John C. Hill II relieved Commander Anderson as the ship’s second Commanding Officer.

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

Mullinnix Participates in ASW Training Cruises - 50 Years Ago Today

2009-06-23T21:32:00.000-05:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)

The balance of June and July were set aside for coordinated antisubmarine (ASW) training cruises intended to toughen up the ship’s offensive/defensive capabilities in order to effectively deal with the ever-present submarine threat. The first of these cruises, accordance with COMDESRON 32 MSG 191432Z, commenced on 23 June in the company of USS Strong DD-758 and USS Sailfish SS-572. To confirm her youth, Mullinnix conducted a full power run and at 1853 reached a speed of 35 knots.

The second, took to sea on 6 July in the company of Task Unit 24.4.5 composed of units of DESRON 32, DESRON 4, and DESDIV 262 plus USS Northampton CLC-1, USS Nantahala AO-60, and USS Boston CAG-1 to continue ASW simulations. The shear size of these exercises illustrated their importance. On 9 July the following ships participated in a ASW circular screen formation: USS Northampton CLC-1, USS N. K. Perry DDR-883, USS Boston CAG-1, USS Douglas H. Fox DD-779, USS Stormes DD-780, USS Strong DD-758, sister ship USS Manley DD-940, USS Greene DDR-711, USS McCard DD-882, USS Dyess DD-880, USS Gearing DD-710, USS Bordelon DDR-881, USS Gyatt DDG-1, USS Johnston DD-821, USS Vogelsang DD-862, USS Cecil DDR-835, USS Corry DDR-817, USS O’Hare DD-889, and USS Stickell DDR-888. Many of these ships were testing the Navy’s newest anti-submarine warfare equipment.

She returned to Norfolk on 10 July only to return to Virginia Operating Area as a unit of Task Unit 201.4.1 on the morning of 13 July. Mullinnix was part of a fourteen ship contingent preparing for anti-submarine warfare in accordance with Commander Carrier Striking Force (COMCARSTIK Force) Operation Order (OPORDER) 52-59. They participated in NATO exercise RIPTIDE under the command of RADM G. W. Anderson, Jr. USN.

Shortly after midnight, in the early morning hours of 15 July, she made rendezvous with USS Saratoga CVA-60, USS Fiske DDR-842, sister ship USS Decatur DD-936, USS Benham DD-796, and USS Hawkins DDR-873. ASW exercises continued throughout the day. At 1245 on 16 July, Mullinnix acquired a sonar contact bearing 330T, range 3600 yards. After stationing the ASW Attack Team, Mullinnix and USS Johnston commenced a dual ship attack on the target at 18 knots. Two S2F aircraft and four ASW helicopters joined in to assist in the operations. The sub was successfully surfaced and was subsequently identified as USS Trumpetfish SS-425.

After receiving 41,236 gallons of fuel from USS Canisteo AO-99, Mullinnix and the others ships continued sharpening their ASW skills. Simulating numerous situations and conditions such as darkened ship, testing of chemical and collision alarms, after steering control tests, pursuing radar and sonar contacts, steering sinuous courses, and highline transfers.

In another test of her newest and ruggedness, Mullinnix conducted a 35 knot full power speed run on Sunday afternoon, 19 July. At 1818 she performed a crash back full maneuver followed by, at 1821, a crash ahead to flank speed exercise to 34 knots. While maintaining 34 knots, she commenced high speed turns using a 37-degree rudder.

The following day Mullinnix assisted USS Keppler DDE-765 on a dual ship attack, expending seventeen rounds of plaster-loaded hedgehogs. Shortly there after the submarine placed herself out of action and requested permission to surface. Mullinnix was then joined by HMS Scarborough F-63 and HMS Tenby F-65, both Whitby Class Type 12 frigates. The three ships continued ASW attack runs on suspected targets for the remainder of the afternoon. The exercises completed, she returned to D&S Piers and moored port side to USS Shenandoah AD-26, Pier 21 on the morning of 21 July.

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

Mullinnix Heads to NYC For 1st Time - 50 Years Ago Today

2009-06-10T13:58:00.001-05:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)

Mullinnix steamed out of Norfolk on 10 June, headed to New York City. This short trip, along with others like it, would become the foundation of one of New York’s biggest events - Fleet Week celebration, which began in 1987, a gathering of ships and their crews from many countries. Before she entered the open sea, Mullinnix anchored at anchorage Foxtrot and loaded 60 plaster loaded Hedge Hogs and twelve cases of hand grenades from Navy YF 328. All the while the crew wondering why they needed armament for this voyage. For the tougher boroughs of New York maybe.

In the company of USS Vogelgesang DD-862, USS Lowry DD-770, USS Stormes DD-780, USS Strong DD-758, USS Owens DD-776, USS Gyatt DDG-1, USS Fox DD-770, and USS Northampton CLC-1, the DESRON 32 ships steamed in formed column or diamond formation in route to the Big Apple. Visibility continued to deteriorate until at 0658 on 11 June the ships commenced sounding international fog signals. The fog smudged out the details that separated sea from sky. The other ships, only noises straining to penetrate the cloak of invisibility.

With slightly better visibility the special sea and anchor detail was set at 0730. With everyone dressed in dress whites, preparations were made for manning the rail for entering New York Harbor. The harbor is huge. Even with the aid of civilian pilot Captain E. Young, Mullinnix didn’t pass the Statue of Liberty until 1217. As the USS Northampton was the first ship in the formation (Mullinnix was second), she fired a nineteen gun salute in honor of the Vice-President of the United States, Richard Nixon. Maneuvering to conform to the Hudson River channel, she passed under the George Washington Bridge at 1325. Due to the number of ships, Mullinnix and USS Vogelgesang had to temporarily anchor at mooring buoy A.

With the aid of Tug YTB 525 and pilot J.V. Cashin, she moved to South Face Pier 88. At 1016 she moored port side to USS Northampton. At 1038 Mullinnix received USS N. K. Perry alongside to starboard. For those unfortunate enough not to have liberty, they stayed on board on greeted 573 of New York’s finest civilians.

For those other shipmates, those able to experience New York, they spread out in its five boroughs. The bars were packed by 1700. In The Village, groups of sailors, in crisp uniforms, polished shoes and white caps were seen ambling down sidewalks carrying opened bottles of beer. Someone proclaimed loudly, "I love this city!" to no one in particular. They others cheered and drank. The locals, young people with beatnik haircuts, also drank. And smoked marijuana. They received the sailors with bemused fascination. No one knew who had invited them, but cameras quickly emerged. Poses were struck. As the night wore on, white hats left the heads of sailors and landed atop the more flirtatious women.

The bars were still full at 0300. Inside, sailors and writers and musicians and poets were all going about the business of forgetting. Some by drinking, some by laughing at underground comics, some by smoking, some by gorging at oyster bars in neighborhood clubs. Some in prohibition era dive bars, listening to incredible live jazz, funk, and blues like at the 55 Bar. Or at Arthur’s Tavern, where they listened to straight-ahead jazz, New Orleans style jazz, real Chicago blues, or Dixieland jazz bands. Some landed in piano bars, some found joints to listen to R&B. Others stumbled onto Charlie “Bird” Parker’s Birdland that featured double and triple bills lasting 'til dawn. They found Cleopatra’s Needle, the C-Note, 3 Deuces, Club Carousel, Club Samoa, Onyx, and B.S. Pully. All were filled with sailors.

Jazz is the art of expression set to music. Jazz is said to be the fundamental rhythms of human life and man’s contemporary reassessment of his traditional values. The crew wasn’t aware of that but they listened to ragtime, Dixieland, boogie-woogie, swing, dance bands, and bebop. They drank strong British ales at Irish Pubs like the Blarney Star, Clancy’s, Dempsey’s Pub, Muldoon’s Irish Pub, Murphy’s Pub, and O’Neill’s.

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

50 Years Ago This Month - Mullinnix News...

2009-05-15T08:52:00.001-05:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)

Heading home. Standing on the bridge wing at sunset with salt spray in your face and sharp ocean winds whipping from the oceans of the globe - the ship beneath you feeling like a living thing as her engines drive her through the sea towards home port. At sea, time is suspended. Time passes both very slowly, then so fast when the next port of call, and liberty, arrive. The days at sea are immediately forgotten, replaced with fights, brushes with the local law. Even love affairs, fueled by the collective imaginations of the crew and fanned by the salt-flecked wind, would burn away as quickly as an early morning fog when once again the Mullinnix inched away from the pier.

“Did I really tell that big breasted bartender I lover her?” Bostic asked Lister. “Did I really give her my home address? Did I really ask her to spend the rest of her life with me?”

“Yes you did, you stupid f-ck!” answered Lister.

The Mullinnix wasn’t the first Navy ship in that port, nor would she be the last. The girls understood the code. The code excused sailors’ indiscretions on liberty – DCOL – ‘doesn’t count on liberty’.

The ocean was dark and flecked with white caps. A few tattered clouds drifted across the blue sky, as Bostic, Lister and their shipmates, with a life time of memories and stories crammed into a couple months, steamed on a heading that would take them home.

To navigate the correct heading a ship needs its gyro. On 4 May, at 1002, the ship experienced a ‘gyro casualty’ to the MK 19 Gyro when the main sycnro amplifiers went out. Immediately the Captain ordered the ship to steer a magnetic course of 348T while the ship shifted to the MK 23 Gyro compass, steering course 342T. As was common place during the entire cruise, the crew’s training and expertise paid off once again. By 1008 they had the Mk 19 Gyro compass back in commission and the ship was steaming normally once again.

At 0042 on the morning of 5 May she sighted Currituck Light Bell Buoy 6. The morning mist cleared. A faint dome of light was rising in the east. The ship shuddered slightly as she swung onto her new course and turned to meet the bay. By 0508 she was maneuvering to conform to Thimble Shoals channel, passed Old Point Comfort and Fort Wool. The special sea detail was stationed at 0752 as the dawn took on the watery hue of a tequila sunrise. She passed Sewells Point at 0808 and moored twenty-four minutes later portside to the USS Stormes DD-780, in a nest of four destroyers and one tender at pier 20 berth 201, Destroyer Submarine Piers, US Naval Base, Norfolk, VA. Besides the Stormes, ships in the nest were USS Tidewater AD-31, USS Lowry DD-770, US Laffey DD-724. SOPA was COMASDEFORLANT. Captain Selden J. Small, Commander Destroyer Squadron Thirty Two, hoisted his pennant aboard Mullinnix.

As customary, two-thirds of the crew was given liberty. Some walked from the pier in the arms of loved ones – wives, sons, daughters, parents, brothers, sisters, and grandparents. Others, the liberty hounds, headed to the strip with the hopes to wash out the tastes and memories of South America with a cold American beer and a warm American girl.

Under a bright May sun, the crew said farewell to Seaman Andy Weckbacher on 13 May. Seaman Weckbacher was delivered, under armed guard to Camp Allen, US Naval Retraining Command, Norfolk, VA, for ‘safekeeping’. Just like that, unceremoniously, the rain-of-terror of one Andy Weckbacher was over. Seven days later Andy was founded guilty of violation of articles 86, 95, and 134 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) and was awarded a special court martial. Farewell for good? Did the navy really appreciated the resourcefulness of Andy? Only time would tell.

During the next two months, Mullinnix participated in a Second Fleet Exercise, and a NATO exercise.

19 May found the Mullinnix in exercises in the Virginia Capes in accordance with COMDESFLOT 181948Z. She was accompanied by fellow second fleet veterans USS Northampton CLC-1, USS J.C. Owens DD-776, USS Fox DD-779, USS Stormes DD-780, USS Lowry DD-770, US Laffey DD-724, USS Strong DD-758, and USS Gyatt DDG-1 (Navy’s first guided-missile destroyer, converted in 1957 from DD-712 ). OTC was COMDESRON 32 (Captain S.C. Small, USN) on Mullinnix, SOPA was COMSECONDFLEET (VADM W.R. Smedberg, III) on Northampton.

In 1956, Northampton was a unit of the Navy’s first guided missile division afloat, CruDiv 6, in the first public demonstration of the Terrier missile system.

By 21 May, Mullinnix was steaming off the coast of Florida in company with Task Group 23.7 composed of Destroyer Squadron 32, USS Northampton CLC-1, USS Boston CAG-1, USS N.K. Perry DDR-883, USS Gyatt DDG-1, USS Goodrich DDR-831, and USS Turner DD-884 in Formation 40 in accordance with COMCARDIV 6 OPORDER 50-59. The OTC had been transferred to DESFLOT 6 (RADM A.H. Taylor) in N.K. Perry.

She refueled from USS Salamonie AO-26, receiving 32,239 gallons NSFO. Following refueling, she performed ammunition transfer from USS Suribachi AE-21. Mullinnix then executed life guard station duty astern of USS Nantahala AO-60 and USS Canisteo AO-59. On 22 May, the ships were joined by the main body consisting of USS Saratoga CVA-60 and USS Essex CVA-9. Following the repair of a steam leak in the main steam line, the formation was joined by USS Owens DD-776, USS Hank DD-702, USS Soley DD-707, USS English DD-696, USS W. L. Lind DD-703, sister-ship USS Blandy DD-943, and USS Berry DD-858. This massive fighting force was in accordance with COMCARDIV SIX OpOrder 50-59 and was under the leadership of COMSECONDFLT (SOPA) and COMCARDIVSIX (OTC), both in USS Saratoga CVA-60.

Mullinnix’ crew kept busy participating in helicopter details, drone recovery detail, plane guard detail for both Saratoga and Essex, refueling from Saratoga, and a highline transfer with USS Hank. On 24 May, the force was joined by USS J.R. Pierce DD-753, USS Turner DD-834, USS Barton DD-722. Operating off East Coast, the force practiced Zigzag Drill, steering sinuous course. This very active day was capped off by a man overboard on the USS Essex. The sailor was recovered without injury. The following day she kept busy with life guard station duty for the USS Chuckawan A0-100 and USS Shasta AE-6 as many of the ships refueled and rearmed.

Mullinnix participated in ASW exercises with the USS Runner SS-476 the morning of 26 May. Unfortunately the Runner bettered the Mullinnix and she was placed ‘out of action’ for the remainder of the day. Later that same afternoon, she participated in anti-aircraft and drone firing exercises while the crew was at GQ with readiness condition I and material condition ZEBRA set. With the sun’s last red ember on the horizon, the light, slanting as it set, cast its final rays upon signal bridge and stacks. Darken ship was set at 1858.

The following day was filled with ASW exercises including firing of the hedgehog batteries. Mullinnix practice circular screen maneuvers with several ships including USS Suribachi AE-21. The crew was allowed much rest as she continued in life guard station astern of USS Canisteo, refueled from Canisteo. Then disaster struck. While taking on mail the highline parted, sending the mail into the churning water.

The crew was once again at GQ for most of 28 May. Mux refueled from Canisteo again and successfully transferred personnel to USS Stormes and USS Saratoga. The powerful fleet returned to Norfolk on 30 May with Mullinnix moored starboard side to pier 23 berth 238, D&S Piers. USS Lowry moored alongside port to Mullinnix, followed by USS Hank and USS Lind. Before engineering could call it a day they took on 36,905 gallons of fuel.

Most of the summer was spent in Norfolk. There was training, both on and off the ship, transfer of personnel, new crew members reporting on board, repairs, preventive maintenance for stem to stern, drills, duty, more drills, and an occasional Captain’s Mass. Though home port is indeed home for a ship, a fighting ship like the Mullinnix doesn’t want to stay in home port too long. She gets antsy. She gets anxious. The sea is calling, Duty is calling. She was built to prowl the world looking for trouble and defending her country.

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

37 Yrs Ago Today - Mullinnix leaves for Vietnam

2009-04-12T20:36:00.000-05:00

USS Mullinnix DD-944, the Navy’s last all-gun destroyer, steamed out of Norfolk, VA enroute to Vietnam for what would be the last of her 3 cruises to that region of the world. This, in response to the North’s Easter Offensive. Checkout http://www.ussmullinnix.org/1972Vietnam.html for all the details of what my shipmates and I were all about. We were young, arrogant, and full of piss-and-vinegar, ready to depend this nation against the red horde…

Drink one for us,
Woody

50 Yrs Ago Today - Mullinnix Collides with SS Tibagy

2009-04-09T20:53:00.000-05:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)

At 0410 on 9 April the lookouts sighted Cape Agostinho Light. In spite of the aid of civilian pilot Captain Lacera, Mullinnix collided with SS Tibagy as she was coming alongside the pier starboard side. Damage to the Tibagy was a four-inch gash in her steel hull about 30 feet aft from the port bow. Damage sustained by Mullinnix consisted of bending two collapsible lifeline stanchions near frame 202, starboard side. Fortunately their were no personnel casualties.

Once safely docked, RADM Stephan left the ship to call officially on Vice Admiral Martini, Commandante Brazilian third Naval district, the American consul to Recife, Edward R. Phelan, and the Mayor of Recife. That afternoon, in a show of alliance support, a two man working party was assigned from Mullinnix to effect repairs to the hull of the Tibagy.

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

50 Yrs Ago Tomorrow (4 April) - Mullinnix Leaves Mar del Plata, Argentina

2009-04-03T09:44:00.001-05:00

Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)

On 3 April, Mullinnix was underway from Mar del Plata to fuel from ARA tanker P. Delgara at anchorage in the harbor. The following morning, she bid a fond farewell to Mar del Plata, in route to Recife, Brazil, leaving without shipmates Green and Weckbacher.

The forecast was for six days of smooth sailing to Brazil. Somebody forgot to tell Mother Nature that. That afternoon the heavens opened up. How hard can it be to be a weatherman? The sky had gone gray, and the sea had gone coal black with it. Shafts of white light, like burning arrows, pierced the night sky. Groundswells burst on the bow in ropes of green and white foam. White caps, like bird wings, were visible all the way to the horizon. When the wind blew, the ocean changed shades of blue-black, as though it drew its color from the wind.

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

50 Yrs Ago Today - Mullinnix Arrives in Mar del Plata, Argentina

2009-03-26T08:14:00.000-05:00

(Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)

The early light of 26 March sparkled off the ocean and shone through the portholes onto the mess deck tables like spotlights on a stage as Mullinnix passed Mar Chiquita light to enter the harbor of Mar del Plata, Argentina. She moored portside to a commercial in the company of USS Van Voorhis, USS Taussig, USS Hartley, USS Lester, and USS Spikefish.

With ozone from another storm building out over the ocean, the Commanding Officer of Mar del Plata Naval Base made an official call on Radm Stephan, COMSOLANT, Arriving with him were the Commander Destroyer Force Argentine Navy and his official party. As protocol dictated, Captain Anderson left later in the morning to return their official call followed by Radm Stephan who called officially on the Mayor of Mar del Plata.

The Mullinnix was the show ship in this small port known as “Ciudad Feliz”, hosting 3700 visitors during 2 days of visitation.

Located in the Province of Buenos Aires, it is the most important seaside resort in Argentina. Long beaches, dunes, cliffs and ravines help make it a water lover’s paradise. The nightlife in Mar del Plata was hard to beat, with pubs, dance clubs, casino and gaming saloons for those looking for everlasting noise and entertainment. This paradise had only been born a few years earlier.

The Revolución Libertadora, a combined military and civilian uprising, overthrew the Perón presidency on 16 September 1955. In Mar del Plata, as in other places of the country, the Navy supported the rebels and the Army remained loyal to the Government. The naval base outskirts and some points of the city were subjected to heavy shelling from the sea, before the loyalist forces could be dispersed. The action was executed by the cruiser ARA 9 de Julio, former USS Boise CL-47, and other ships.

The tango - the vertical expression of a horizontal desire, in a musically synthesized dance form, was the Argentinean samba. Couples dancing the tango meet in a close embrace and dance seemingly violently across the floor. In Mar del Plata, walkways were filled with tango dancers, artists exhibiting their work, and street merchants of all types. Clubs, with velvet-covered back rooms and sultry bars, oozed the tango rhythm. Historical alluring bars, founded by artists and musicians, pulse with the experience, the heartbeat, the very essence of tango.

Couples, having never met, would embrace at first sight, closer and more intimately than many lovers ever do. From somewhere the tender tones of a violin mix with the dramatic and yet soft touch of the bandaneon played, forming beautiful and lyrical songs that spoke of the ever lasting affection for the barrio and the pain of lost love, the two themes most essential in a tango. With names like Bar El Chiko, Tina’s Starfish, Ruby Bobby’s, and Bird On The Wing, tango was the erotic dance that men and women performed as foreplay.

They were quit the trio, seaman all three. Their mothers knew them as Trent Robert Longfellow, Albert Bosie Cramer, and Lloyd Justin West. Mullinnix knew them as “The Owl”, “Alphabet”, and “Beater”.

Longfellow was bread, born, and raised in western California, near Bakersfield. Third generation Okie, his grandparents having fled the dust bowl. He was bulky boyish-looking with piercing blue eyes hidden behind Navy-issued coke bottle glasses – owl-like. Crude even by Navy-standards - crude when crude wasn’t called for. His dungarees and boondockers going the way of disintegration. He gave off a smell of carelessness and hopelessness. His face usually hidden by a dirty white hat or ball cap. He was known for his ferocity when fighting. His accumulated rage, brought on by the broken home of his youth, burned inside him like the orange glow in the heart of a boiler.

Albert Bosey Cramer (ABC – e.g. Alphabet) on the other hand, was from the West Texas oilfield country around Midland. He had deep blue eyes and a mane of sandy blond hair. He looked like a future rock star. His words flowed out like oil from a can. A born bullshitter, the bullshit flowing like molasses on a hot sunny afternoon, sticking to anyone who would listen indiscriminately. He saved the best for the women. Cramer chased girls so hard the skin on his eyeballs would peal back.

Then there was West. Lloyd Justin West, from someplace in Missouri. He had IQ to burn, but what he needed bad was ChickQ. He’d spent his life hitting into double plays with women. He wore wire-rimmed glasses hooked lopsided over uneven ears and an ever-present Pall Mall drooping from corroding teeth and flakey-dry lips. His hair looked like it had been combed with an eggbeater, hence the nickname. He was the “before picture” in a body building advertisement. Some said he was one can sort of a six pack.

Individually they were a hand full. Together they were a Captain’s Mast waiting to happen.

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

50 Yrs Ago Today - Mullinnix Arrives in Montevideo, Uruguay

2009-03-16T07:07:00.000-05:00

(Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)

Mullinnix was greeted at Montevideo with one mile visibility, heavy rain hitting hard on the aluminum superstructure. The sea and anchor detail personnel stared out over grey-green sea – bleak below the heavy black clouds through which no ray of sunshine could pass. The ensign wrapped itself about the flag pole in the gusty wind.

At 0822 she fired a salute of 21 guns to the nation of Uruguay. Uruguay reciprocated by firing a salute of 21 guns in return. Shortly after the ship passed Sarandi breakwater and at 0844 moored starboard side to Mulle de Escala Pier, Montevideo, Uruguay with standard class mooring lines, all doubled.

COMSOLANT left the ship to call officially on the Honorable Robert F. Woodward, US Ambassador to Uruguay; Daniel Fernandez Crespo, President of the Montevideo Council; General Cipriano Oliveria, Uruguayan Minister of National Defense and Captain Victor Dodino, Inspector General of the Uruguayan Navy. USS Spikefish SS-404 stood into the harbor and moored alongside of port in the mid morning rain. Lightning rolled silently through the clouds overhead, flaring suddenly in a yellow ball, as though igniting a trapped pocket of white gas inside each individual cloud.

SOLANT Chief of Staff left the ship to call officially on General Captain Angel N. Sierra, Uruguayan Maritime Perfect. Later that day, COMSOLANT, in the company of an honor guard, placed a wreath at the statue of General Jose Artigas, Built in 1949, it was to pay tribute to the 19th century general, sometimes called "the father of Uruguayan independence”.

The weather continued to deteriorate. Liberty was cancelled for all hands. At 1855 Mullinnix set storm condition II, setting the starboard anchor underfoot, and put additional 1 1/8” bow and stern wires doubled to the pier. The sky was almost black. When lighting flared in the clouds it looked like Jimmy Stewart’s flash bulbs in Rear Window. By 2000, the ship had made all preparations for getting underway on one half hour notice. She set the underway watch in addition to the import watch. Lightning quivering in the clouds like pieces of white thread while rain was twisting in sheets. The main engines were lit off shortly after midnight. Underway watches were stationed on the bridge and in after-steering. Deck security patrols were stationed throughout the ship. The gale force winds were cutting the tops off the waves. At 0330, USS Hartley was underway to proceed to sea to ride out the storm.

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

50 Yrs Ago Today - Mullinnix Heads to Montevideo, Uruguay

2009-03-12T10:50:00.000-05:00

(Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)

All good things must come to and end, so they say. Mullinnix, drenched in afternoon sunlight, was underway from Finger Pier at 1744 on 12 March. Destination Uruguay with four days of maneuvers standing between the crew and Montevideo.

Night was already showing itself on the main deck as the sun was nearly gone, but the mast was still burnished by the level sun. BM3 Jonathan Kramer hung over the lifeline starboard side of MT52, smoking. First he spat, then he expelled the remainder of the smoke from deep within his lungs and finally threw the tiny cigarette butt into the water, flicking it with his fingers.

“Hey John.” Said Holliday.

“Hey yourself Doc. Where you been hid’in?”

“We had some equipment problems in sonar. We’ve been pushin’ hard the last couple days.”

“Fix it?”

“Finally. Ran the last of the test about an hour ago.”

The sky above was somewhere between blue and black, it’s uniform density threatened here and there by the suggestion of stars.

“Well, did you say goodbye?” questioned Kramer as he lit another smoke.

“Ya, we did.” Said Doc. “You know John, I get out of this chicken shit outfit shortly after we get back to Norfolk.”

“So.”

Thinking. “John, Sophia is coming to Norfolk.”

His cigarette almost spent, he took one last pull on it then flicked the butt into the sea. “Doc. Sounds like a plan to me.”

Doc was relieved. He respected Kramer’s opinion. They had been through a lot together. Always together. “I wanted you to know. AND, I wanted to thank you.” Said Doc. “Thanks for being a good friend.”

Smiling, Kramer answered, “No Doc, thank you. You made all this bearable.”

Change isn’t looking for friends. Change calls the tune we all dance to.

To be continued...
BTW, the names were changed to protect the innocent
Cheers,
Woody

50 Yrs Ago Today - Mullinnix Returns to Rio

2009-03-03T09:31:00.001-06:00

(Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood

Maneuvers and ASW exercises continued while in route to Rio. In column formation with Mullinnix in station 1, Van Voorhis in station 2, Lester in station 3, Taussig in station 4, and Spikefish in Station 5 on course 288T at speed of 8 knots, the ships entered Rio de Janeiro Harbor passing De Sao Cruz abeam to starboard, De Sao Joao abeam to port on 3 March. At 0759 a tug delivered civilian Pilot Capt. V. Ginheiro came on board. Passing De Villegagnon Mullinnix rendered honors and fired a 21 Gun Salute to the Nation of Brazil, braking the Brazilian flag at the main truck. The Brazilian Navy returned the 21 gun salute from Enxadas Island. At 0906 Mullinnix was moored portside to Finger pier at Praca Maua, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with standard mooring lines.

COMSOLANT left the ship to call officially on the U.S. Ambassador to Brazil, Chief of the US Naval Mission, Commander-in-Chief of the Brazilian Navy, Vice Chief of Naval Operations, and Commander Brazilian First Naval District. Later than afternoon Contra-Almirante Helio Garnier Sampaio Brazilian Navy, Rear Admiral T.C. Ragan, Chief of US Naval mission, Capitiao De Mar Naval Orlando Miller Brazilian Navy, and Almirante De Exquadra Jorge Do Paco Mattosa Maia, Ministra De estado Dos Megacious Da Marinha came on board to return the official calls of COMSOLANT.

It became apparent to the crew that this just wasn’t a liberty stop. The first clue being the many dignitaries for which the crew and to get the ship into tip-top shape. For what? For people that wouldn’t know a deck if they stepped on one. 4 March was spent preparing for the masses. Tomorrow would find the ship invaded by hundreds of Brazilian civilians anxious to see America’s newest fighting ship.

But first things first. First – liberty call, liberty call! BM3 Jonathan “DD” Kramer couldn’t wait to hit the beach. It had only been eight months and they were back in Rio. Was he living right or what?

“Hey Landowsky you got liberty?” hollered Kramer.

“Does the bear sh-t in the woods? What do you think we should do?” answered Landowsky.

“You mean, WHERE should we go don’t you?”

“You think’in what I’m think’in DD?”

“Probably. Rat & Raven here we come baby!!” screamed Kramer, “I can’t f-ckin’ wait!”

“Do you think he still works there?” questioned Landowsky.

“Hell Lanny they’ll bury Cappel in that place.” Adding, “You seen Doc?”

“That’s who I was looking for when you yelled”

“Good, you go find Doc and I’ll round up Bobby and Duke. We’ll meet you on the pier at 1600.”

To be continued...
BTW, the names were changed to protect the innocent
Cheers,
Woody

50 Yrs Ago Today - Mullinnix Crosses The Line (Again)

2009-02-25T09:24:00.002-06:00

(Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood

But to be alive for 25 February 1959 meant everything to a Navy man. The crew that celebrated their crossing last July was going to get to invoke their lessons learned on yet another group of mangy pollywogs. With the sun covered by rain clouds, the wind flecked with salt, the rain held off for a time. A black cloud moved across the sun, dropping the Mullinnix into shadow. As the sun went behind this rain cloud, it burned a purple hole through its center. When the sun finally broke through a cloud, the tops of the mast and stacks lit up as though they had been touched by fire. It was time. The ship’s log described the day as:

• 0800 Mustered the crew on stations.
• 1115 Shifted all pollywogs into the uniform of the day. Stationed the Equator lookouts. Commenced making all preparations for receiving King Neptunus Rex and his court on board.
• 1303 Maneuvering on various courses and speeds to enter the realm of Neptunus Rex.
• 1330 Davy Jones came aboard.
• 1331 His majesty Neptunus Rex and members of his court came aboard for the purpose of converting all Mullinnix pollywogs into trusty shellbacks. Broke the flag of Neptunus Rex. Entered the realm of Neptunus rex and commenced the initiation ceremonies.
• 1537 Completed the initiation ceremonies. No pollywogs remain on board. King Neptune left the ship. Hauled down the flag of King Neptune.
• 1538 Maneuvering to rejoin formation. Set course 110T and speed 18 knots.

Dry thunder pealed slowly across the sky which was the color of a day-old bruise. As the heat went out of the day, the summer light seemed to ascend higher in the sky, so that the sea itself became a flat silver plain, mirror like. Flying fish sailing diagonally from the bow like sparkling metallic grasshoppers fleeing from an approaching mower.

To be continued...
Cheers,
Woody

50 Years Ago Today - Mux Steams Towards Rio

2009-02-21T11:13:00.001-06:00

(Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood

On 21 February at 1645 Mullinnix stationed the special sea and anchor detail under a sky of purple streaked with fire, underway for Rio de Janerio, Brazil as flagship of Task Force 86. Steering course 270 at a speed of 20 knots, the crew’s emotions were thick with memories of Trinidad and they tried to keep an empty place in the center of their mind, not thinking the thoughts they were thinking. It to no avail, they were headed to Rio, the land of what sailor’s dreams are made of. Jimbo Larson’s head had cleared. His, with most of the crew, thoughts laid over the horizon, they were headed back to Rio.

As a reminder that this wasn’t just a milk-run, dawn broke over Mullinnix on the 22nd with a sky a shade of azure blue only seen in airline magazines. As the crew looked across the sea at the sun it appeared molten and watery, wrapped in vapor. Task Force 86 was steaming in column open order in company with USS Van Voorhis DE-1028, USS Lester DE-1022, USS Taussig DE-1030, and USS Spikefish SS-404 on base course 102 degrees T at base speed 16 knots, Mullinnix was guide in station 1. The next several days were filled with exercises in preparation with much larger and more sophisticated exercises with the Navies of several South American countries.

On the afternoon of the 23rd, USS Van Voorhis was detached by COMSOLANT to proceed independently to Recife, Brazil. The following day the weather took a turn for the worst. The barometer noise-dived and the sky turned a chemical green. The swells were smooth-surfaced and rain-dented, the wind flecked with salt. To remind the crew just who’s Navy they were in, Admiral Stephan held an inspection with the crew mustering at quarters in foul weather parade. On the eastern horizon, a line of storm clouds shot forks of white lightning, probing the sea here and there as if searching for sailors. Mullinnix started to dip and dive as the swells increased.

For some of the crew this was there first time in rough seas and experiencing the effects of seasickness. At first many thought they were going to die but then they reached the stage where they feared they may not.

But to be alive for 25 February 1959 meant everything to a Navy man…

To be continued…
Cheers,
Woody

50 Years Ago 16th Feb, Mullinnix Visits Port of Spain, Trinidad, BWI

2009-02-19T08:21:00.002-06:00

(Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)

Shortly after sighting Chacachacare Light on 16 February, Mullinnix stationed the special sea detail. Steaming passed Diegos Island abeam to port, then Five Islands abeam to starboard, she slipped into the port side of Pier 2, US Naval Base, Port of Spain, Trinidad, British West Indies (BWI). The engineers let the fires die out under Boiler 1B and Mullinnix began receiving fresh water and telephone services from the pier.

At 0801, Rear Admiral E.C. Stephan, Commander South Atlantic Force, US Atlantic Fleet, called informally on the Commanding Officer of the Mullinnix. Later that morning Commander Anderson departed the ship to pay a formal call on Admiral Stephan as well as Capt D.A. Sooy, Commanding Officer, US Naval Station, Trinidad, BWI.

BT1 A.J. Bell, MM3 A.R. Alterio, and BM2 D.P. Cutlip were the unlucky mates that were elected to temporary duty as shore patrol. Trinidad’s cornucopia-like offerings to stimulate a sailor’s many senses made shore patrol duty hard to appreciate let alone accept.

Trinidad has all the things you’d expect from a Caribbean island — sun, rum, sea, sand, plus friendly locals, rum, music, parties, and ample opportunities for relaxation in rich natural surroundings with rum-based drinks. Did I mention rum? The city is bordered by the Gulf of Paria on one side and the Northern Range on the other, providing both mountain and sea views. The mish-mash of architectural styles can seem rather ugly at first sight, especially downtown, but look closely and you can spot many fine nineteenth-century buildings along with quaint "gingerbread" houses, so named because of their intricate fretted woodwork.

Thanks in large part to its natural harbor, Port of Spain was made Trinidad's capital in 1757. The downtown area is the oldest section of the city, and despite its run-down appearance is the shopping and entertainment center of the capital. Within the compact grid of streets surrounding broad Brian Lara Promenade/Independence Square and bustling Frederick Street, shops jostle for space with old Spanish warehouses, bars, shops and the paraphernalia of the docks.

The city was preparing for the annual carnival that celebrates the beginning of Lent. 'Caribbean' carnival's principal components were calypso, steelpan and playing mas (masquerade). In Port-of-Spain these elements were harmoniously structured to form a five day ritual pageant beginning with the King & Queen Contest, followed by Panorama, Dimanche Gras, J'Ouvert and finally the Parade of the Bands.

On a candle-lit terrace overlooking Trinidad’s bay, and where, in the cold smell of broken ice stained with rum and bruised fruit, weeks at sea could disappear with the ease of raising a glass to your mouth.

To be continued…
Cheers,Woody

Mullinnix National Museum Survives Lone Grove Tornado

2009-02-11T11:59:00.001-06:00

At about 7:25 PM, a tornado ripped through my home town last night (Tuesday, 10 Feb). The body count stands at 15 and could rise. Lone Grove is a small community of about 3,000, 5 miles west of Ardmore, OK and is the location of the Mullinnix National Museum (http://www.ussmullinnix.org/MuxMuseum.html). Rest assured, that 100% of the Mullinnix memorabilia is safe and sound – and its curator, yours truly.

So keep those donations, artifacts, and photos coming. See you at the reunion – God willing and the creek don’t rise!

Cheers,
Woody

50 Years Ago 3rd Feb, Mullinnix Experiences 1st Collision!

2009-02-07T08:42:00.000-06:00

(Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)

The 3rd of February was witnessed to two collisions. The first, shortly after 1AM, in Albert Juhl’s corn field northwest of Mason City, Iowa, pilot Roger Peterson flew his plane into the ground, killing himself, Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. "Big Bopper" Richardson. The viscous Iowa weather was to blame.

The second, on this day the music died, witnessed Mullinnix moving, with the aid of YTB 380, 533 and 500, from pier 23, berth 233 to pier 20, berth 205, D&S Piers, Norfolk. Shortly thereafter at 1620, sister ship USS Bigelow DD-942, as sisters tend to do, gave Mullinnix a small kiss in the form of damage to her port screw guard while coming alongside. The Engineer Officer and damage control assistant inspected for further damage within the ship and found no evidence of interior damage.

To be continued…
Cheers,Woody

50 Years Ago Today, Mullinnix Prepares for pending cruise to South America!

2009-01-29T09:36:00.000-06:00

(Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)

Fueling was completed on 29 January from YO-59. The following morning Mullinnix slipped out of Portsmouth, to begin preparations for steaming south to Naval Base, Port of Spain, Trinidad in accordance with COMDESLANT Movement Orders 2-59. After making the mandatory degaussing run to maximize safety, she anchored in ammunition anchorage FOGTROT with 30 fathoms of chain to starboard anchor, mud bottom at 1142. After on loading 288 hedgehog rockets and 6 Mark 32 Torpedoes, and having transferred off 60 3”/50 cal. VT non-frag projectiles and 240 3”/50 AP projectiles, Mullinnix got underway to D&S piers, Norfolk, Virginia.

Norfolk weather in early February can resemble the Yukon. The sky and sea were slate gray and slack, the sun burned cold in the cold clear sky, the NE wind the kind that can bite your noise. During these mornings the crew mustered in a foul mood, at foul weather parade.

To be continued…
Cheers,Woody

50 Years Ago Today, Mullinnix Heads to Ammunition Anchorage Fogtrot!

2009-01-09T23:59:00.002-06:00

(Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)

Midday on 9 January, Mullinnix headed to ammunition anchorage Foxtrot near Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth. She anchored in 6 fathoms of water, sand bottom, with 30 fathoms of chain to the starboard anchor. Once the off loading of 288 H/E Hedge Hogs and pyrotechnics was complete, she moored portside pier Four (4), berth 26, Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Virginia. Cold iron watch was set in all engineering spaces as Mullinnix was receiving all services from the pier. SOPA was COMCARDIV 6 (RADM G.W. Anderson) in USS Saratoga CVA-60 transferring later in the month to USS Essex CVS-9.

The rest of January saw Mullinnix and her crew engulfed in minor repairs, on loading equipment and stores, as well as crew training. Other than a quick pier change to Berth 1A, Pier 1 in Portsmouth on the 16th with the aid of US Navy tugs YTB 499 and YTB 502, Mullinnix kept busy in preparation for a lengthy assignment with the nation’s allies in South America.

Unfortunately for shipmate W.L. “Willy” Campbell, he would not be riding south on the Mux. Campbell was a mean bastard. Campbell hadn’t lost his ‘Na Yacker’ accent. Like when he’d say, “Fuggedaboutit!” (forget about it). He’d tell a story of when he was a kid growing up in New York City. “We all lived on Mean Street,” he boasted. “The farther down the street you’d go the meaner it got. And I lived in the last fuckin’ house!” He had a slight limp like a sailor who’d been in a bar brawl. Which he had - most of the time. Campbell’s training consisted of a temporary transfer to US Naval Retraining Command, Norfolk, Virginia, under guard, for 20 days of hard ‘training’.

On the midwatch of 17 January at 0300 Andy Weckbacher was once again the man of the hour as he was delivered on board by the Shore Patrol. First thing out of his mouth was, “What the fuck happened to Campbell?”

To be continued…
Cheers,Woody

50 Years Ago Today, Mullinnix Returns to D&S Piers - For Good!

2009-01-04T22:47:00.000-06:00

(Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)

The first visit to Norfolk hadn’t been long. This trip was one-way. They were indeed heading home.

Two days later with the morning sun flickering like a Zippo flame, she passed Cape Charles Light and commenced steering various courses at various speeds conforming to Thimble Shoals Channel regulations. At 1158 she passed Fort Wool abeam to port, distance 1200 yards. The crew could taste home port. Pilot Captain L.W. George aided maneuvering her alongside the pier. Mullinnix moored portside to fellow Forrest Sherman USS Bigelow DD-942 in a nest of four ships at Berth 206 Destroyer – Submarine piers (D&S), Norfolk. She rested out board off USS Shenandoah AD-26, USS NOA DD-841, and Bigelow. On 7 January, the nest grew to six as the USS Meredith DD-890 and USS Stribling DD-867 moored alongside to starboard.

The crew took full advantage of the days in home port as they were aware that the Mullinnix was soon to return to South America in early February. Some, took too much advantage, some like Seaman Andy Charles Weckbacher.

Weckbacher was the most unNavy-looking seafaring specimen who ever served in the Navy. He had grown up in tough working-class South Boston. Andy always contended his innocence but rumor had it he’d join the Navy to hide from the law. At 0217 the night of 8 January, the ship received a report Weckbacher was treated for face lacerations at the USS Sierra AD-18 (a destroyer tender that was in commission for 49 years!) for injuries received from an unknown assailant at the D&S gate #2. No one knew at the time, but this was just the beginning of a string of incidences that would track all the way to the southern hemisphere.
To be continued…

Cheers,
Woody

50 Years Ago Yesterday, Mullinnix Heads Back To Her Home Port - For Good!

2009-01-03T09:24:00.001-06:00

(Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)

The new Navy Year would not have been complete without the traditional AWOL shipmate. The Mullinnix’ first AWOL sailor to ring in the ship’s first full year of life was shipmate G. F. Pearl, declared AWOL at 0330 Hours, mustering in the year 1959.

This would be a string of firsts of course. Seaman Pearl was only following in the footsteps of the Mullinnix’ first AWOL shipmate – none other than Fireman John Gerald Budd, who was the first ever AWOL Mullinnix sailor at 0800 on 10 March 1958 – only 3 short days after the ship was in commission. One wonders if this is stage-setting of things to come?

In an article entitled ‘Roster of New and Converted Ships Joining The Navy’ in the February 1959 issue of All Hands Magazine, Mullinnix was the first ship listed under the ‘new ship’ listing. The new year found this new ship Mullinnix moored port side to pier 3 west, Boston Naval Shipyard, Charlestown, Massachusetts, using standard class mooring lines doubled, modified by additional 1 1/8” steel wires fore and aft. SOPA was CONCRUDIV 4 in USS Boston CAG-1. On 2 January, running under a split engineering plant with boilers 1B and 2A and generators 2 and 4 in service, she steamed for Norfolk, Virginia for a Tender Availability, in accordance with COMDESLANT Op Order 232359Z of December 1958. Grey and white snow clouds covered the sky as she slipped passed Cap Cod Light. As a chill wind hit them like a blast, the excitement started to build in the crew - they were headed back to home port.

The first visit to Norfolk hadn’t been long. This trip was one-way. They were indeed heading home.

To be continued…
Cheers,Woody

50 Years Ago, The Mullinnix First Traditional Rhyming Deck Log!

2009-01-03T09:19:00.001-06:00

(Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)

The tradition of rhyming midwatch (0000-0400 Hours) deck logs to ring in the new year are almost as old as the Navy itself. Though not official, this storied tradition is over-looked by command and will probably continue for years to come. The practice of keeping the deck log entry short, concise, articulate is replaced my holiday cheer and riming prose. The honor of composing the first on Mullinnix went to LTJG J. A. Sears, JR, USNR, who penned:

Moored here in Boston on a rather brisk night
Warmed by the quarterdeck Christmas trees’ light.
Port side to pier three using standard manila
My coat lined alpaca, or perhaps it’s chinchilla.
With rigged wire preventers of inch and one-eighth
We watch for the Atlas’ orbit in spath.
We have been here in Charlestown most of this year
And are currently on the west side of the pier.
Cold iron prevails in our hill quite impervious
With the shipyard providing the needed pier servious
Of telephone, power, steam, nuts and bolts,
A few BTU’s and a couple of volts.
Cold iron watches on roving patrols
In the Main engine spaces – The city clock tolls
The birth of another in a series of years
That move silently round like some well-oiled gears.
Material X-RAY is our current condition
And its absolute setting is no supposition
For it’s checked by security watches terrific,
Merrill-Lynch, Pierce, Fenner, and Smithic.
Ships present include some of CINCLANT’s best tricks,
The BOSTON, the WASP, and the Young Mullinnix,
McGOWAN and WADLEIGH, the Stephen DECATUR,
The shiny new EDSON who will cross the Equator.
There are TUGS from the District, YD’s from the Yard
But duty ashore can’t be nearly as hard
Or as interesting as it can be on a “CAN”
An all-purpose ship for a well rounded man.
SOPA is here in the hull of the Boston
He’s COMCRUDIV FOUR near a town I get lostin.

We have been in commission just under a year
And March ’59 makes our birthday quite near.
The commissioning program was something to boast
With grand Mrs. Mullinnix here from “The Coast”.
The Ensign was broken, the first watch was set,
Twas a day that none of us soon will forget.
An outfitting period quickly ensued
And the hull with new Ship-Alts was firmly subdued
By air hammers, chippers, and welders galore
But by May we survived and left Boston’s shore.
After training in GTMO, we went south with a stranger
An obscure little vessel known as the RANGER.
From Trinidad’s coastline we sailed for Brazil
And we drilled and we drilled and we drilled and we drilled.
Then the Shellbacks gave out with sadistic ingratitudes
As we left in our wake the Northern Horse Latitudes.
On to Rio, Bahia, and Reciffe too,
Where we welcomed the people, they welcomed our crew.
Our Tampico stop later proved one of the best
And when it was time to sail from the west
Back to Boston for overhaul, families, forsooth!
For a few dry martinis, light on vermouth.
With our second yard period a thing of thing past,
We have painted the ship from the keel to the mast.
As COMSOLANT Flagship we’ll soon be displayed
So it’s goodbye to bean-town and “Anchor’s Aweigh”.
Anapestic quadrameter couplets, Adieu!
To my whole duty section a Happy Year New.

To be continued…
Cheers,Woody

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-24T10:56:00.002-06:00

Hope Santa is good to all of you Muxmen, old salts, sailors, ex-Navy, friends of sailors, and you want-to-be-sailors.

In the next couple days be sure sit in front of a fire with a holiday adult beverage and watch either "Holiday Inn" and/or "White Christmas".

Check out http://www.ussmullinnix.org/HolidaysInTheNavy.html

Life is good...
Remember - drink one for me!
Cheers,
Woody

50 Years Ago, Mullinnix Settles in For the Holidays in Boston Naval Shipyard!

2008-12-14T09:02:00.002-06:00

(Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)

December in Massachusetts is no picnic if you don’t have a warm fire, a good murder mystery, and a find glass of port to curl up with. You can look up “foul weather” in Webster’s and you’d no doubt find a picture of Boston Harbor in December. Miniature snow drifts could be found in every nook and cranny on the cold steel of Mullinnix’ surfaces. Condensation on her portholes sparkled like ice. All her outside surfaces slippery with ice. The heat from a Class ABLE fire in compartment 01-121-P-Q the cold afternoon of 5 December was no match for the frigid air as the fire party put it out as swiftly as it had started.

Destructive Storm Conditions are correlated to potential wind speed of the pending storm. The weather took a turn for the worse as the ship set Destructive Storm Condition II, giving a whole new meaning to ‘cold iron watches’. The storm abated early Friday morning, 12 December and the storm condition was cancelled at 0930 with the Mux no worse for wear.

Mullinnix ushered in the holiday season, still moored at pier 3W in Boston naval Shipyard, with little fanfare. Enough of the crew was on board to get the ship underway and to handle any emergencies. The rest, homeward bound to spend a few precious moments with family and friends. Moments that would turn to memories in the years to come. Memories, like little else, are a great physician to a sailor. Thus the first year of Mullinnix service to the nation came to a close. Anticipation still abound aboard the young ship. What would the new year bring? Indeed, what…

To be continued…

Merry Christmas!!!
http://www.ussmullinnix.org/HolidaysInTheNavy.html (turn your sound on)
Woody

Veterans are not Baby Killers

2008-11-11T08:19:00.001-06:00

Baby Killer! That’s what I was called when my ship came back from Vietnam in the fall of 1972 (www.ussmullinnix.org). Baby Killer! Can you imagine how that makes you feel?

Our Armed Forces deserve better than that! My shipmates and I deserved better than that!

As President Kennedy once said, "Any man who may be asked in this century what he did to make his life worthwhile, I think can respond with a good deal of pride and satisfaction: I served in the United States Navy."

All veterans deserve a parade - a chance for the nation to say thank you. We didn't do that for Vietnam Veterans.

So --- the next time you are cheering the arrival of some of our troops in an airport, look around for a middle aged guy (probably in casual business attire with a laptop slung over his shoulder) who, having trouble keeping his composure, is clapping the loudest…

Remember, it takes a MAN to ride a TIN CAN!
Woody

50 Years Ago Today, Mullinnix Leaves Dry Dock For The First Time!

2008-10-28T11:51:00.001-05:00

(Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)

At 0927 on 28 October, with inspections, maintenance, and repairs complete, the dry dock was flooded. Her stern passed over the still at 1051 and she was towed to Pier 8W by YTB 542, YTB 382, and Tug Juno.

To be continued…
Cheers,
Woody

50 Years Ago Today, Mullinnix Enters Dry Dock For The First Time!

2008-10-21T10:35:00.000-05:00

(Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)

The dawn broke the horizon on 21 October to find the Mullinnix had stationed the special sea and anchor detail. With the assistance of tugs YTB 542, YTB 382, and civilian tug Athena she was underway for Dry Dock #1. By 0835 the caisson was in place and water was pumped out of the dry dock. By 0905 she was resting on the keel blocks.

A graving (versus a floating dry dock) dry dock is a narrow basin, usually made of earthen beams and concrete, closed by gates or a caisson, in which a vessel may be floated and the water pumped out, leaving the vessel supported on blocks. The keel blocks as well as the bilge block are placed on the floor of the dock in accordance with the "docking plan" of the ship.

Some fine-tuning of the ship's position can be done by scuba divers while there is still some water left to maneuver it about. Each ship has a diagram of the shape of its bottom. It is extremely important that supporting blocks conform to this shape so that the ship is not damaged when its weight is supported by the blocks. Some ASW warships have protruding sonar domes, requiring that the hull of the ship be supported several meters from the bottom of the dry dock.

Once the remainder of the water is pumped out, people can walk around in the dry dock, and the ship can be freely inspected or serviced. When work on the ship is finished, water is allowed to reenter the dry dock and the ship is carefully refloated.

To be continued…
Cheers,
Woody

50 Years Ago Today, Mullinnix Experiences First Fire!

2008-09-16T10:24:00.000-05:00

(Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)

Yet another Mullinnix first was experienced at 1800 on 16 September when FN Harrell reported a fire in the aft engine room. Fire party was called away, fire department on base alerted, as well as the base commander per Navy regulations. The ‘canvas and rag’ fire at the bottom of the ladder was put out by fire party two minutes after the base fire department arrived on the pier. No apparent damage was caused nor the cause.

This fire ‘drill’ was witnessed by COMCARDIV 18 and the crew of the USS Leyte CVS-32 from a nearby pier. Unbeknownst to these ‘witnesses’, their battle-hardened ship would be decommissioned the following May. The Leyte, a 27,100-ton Ticonderoga class aircraft carrier was built at Newport News, Virginia and commissioned in April 1946. She operated off Korea from October 1950 into January 1951, providing nearly 4000 aircraft sorties to support UN forces ashore. During this cruise, one of her aviators, LTJG Thomas J. Hudner, Jr., performed an act of heroism for which he was awarded the Medal of Honor.

Five years earlier, on 16 October 1953, while in the same Boston Naval Shipyard undergoing conversion, she suffered an explosion and fire that killed 37 men. She was decommissioned in May 1959, and simultaneously reclassified as an aircraft transport, with the new hull number AVT-10. She would remain in the reserve fleet for another decade and was sold for scrapping in September 1970.

To be continued…
Cheers,
Woody

50 Years Ago Today, Mullinnix Crewman is injured in an auto accident

2008-09-01T08:37:00.000-05:00

(Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)

1 September registered another Mullinnix first. At 1125 the ship received a report from the American Red Cross, Fargo Building, Boston, Massachusetts, that FT3 D.C. Lowe, on authorized liberty was admitted to the Akron General Hospital, Akron, Ohio, as a result of injuries received in an automobile accident. COMFOUR was requested to investigate. Lowe was subsequently cleared of any charges and returned to his ship no worse for ware. On 2 September, SOPA was changed to COMDESRON 30 aboard USS John Paul Jones DD-932, a sister ship of Mullinnix.

To be continued…
Cheers,
Woody

50 Years Ago, Mullinnix Passes Final Acceptance Trials

2008-08-25T17:42:00.000-05:00

(Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)

… Final Acceptance Trials with RADM R. F. Stout, President, Board of Inspection and Survey on board. Of all days, the Mullinnix was cloaked in a dense fog that blotted out the sea and everything else more than fifty feet away. Through the sound of fog signals, the ship conducted INSURV Board exercises in Engineering, Sonar, Communications, and Radar. By 1830 the fog seemed impenetrable. Engines all stop, back, stop, ahead were ordered every few minutes. At 1943, the ship managed to test the anchor chain, anchor brake, and anchor windlass.

The fog lifted, Mullinnix appeared out of the haze, and she managed to conduct locked shaft tests. Nightfall did not interrupt the numerous tests that needed to be completed. The 2000-2400 watch witnessed boiler overload tests at 26 knots, followed by full power trials as the sun tried to knife its rays through the morning fog. With visibility hovering around 100 yards, she completed her full power run and commenced full power astern tests. At 1140 the crash stop to design full power ahead maneuver was successfully completed.

The fog still challenging, she backed all engines two-thirds while conducting steering tests. Would anything go right? Just when the crew thought they had caught a break, the order was given to debark the liberty boat to rescue a disabled fishing boat. With the Boston Harbor channel at low visibility, Mullinnix maneuvered port side of pier 8E, Boston Naval Shipyard, Charleston, Massachusetts, using standard destroyer type mooring lines.

Acceptance tests completed. Acceptance test passed. Time to stand down a bit. Someone forgot to tell Mother Nature that fact. At 1533 on the afternoon of 28 August, COMONE ordered Hurricane Condition Two. Hurricanes can produce storm surges, high winds, tornadoes, and heavy rain. Mullinnix prepared for heavy weather, lighting off air and surface search radars. Fires were lit under boiler 2A at 1620. The port anchor chain broke and the crew had to secure the bitter end to a bollard on the pier followed by putting out additional wires fore and aft. She road out the hurricane in the company of USS Daly DD-519, USS Macon CA-132, and various other units of the US Atlantic Fleet.

To be continued…
Cheers,
Woody

50 Years Ago, Mullinnix Arrives in Boston!

2008-08-17T20:44:00.000-05:00

(Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)

The crew’s prayers were answered. Mullinnix found pristine steaming conditions with cloudless skies and star-studded nights. They were closing in on Boston and by 16 August were within spitting distance of mooring stateside when a storm was building. In the south the sky was the blue-black of gunmetal, the waves capping as far as the eye could see. The thunderheads rippled with electricity.

A network of lighting bloomed, all the way to the top of the sky. While brilliance lit the clouds and waves you could see shipmates on the fantail smoking - like fire flies on a summer night doing a slow burn. The temperature dropped suddenly and chains of dry lighting pulsed inside the clouds, flooding the Mullinnix with a white brilliance that turned the stacks the pale color of old bone.

Fog rolled over Mullinnix smudging out her entire outline. At 1801 she commenced sounding fog signals and stationed lookouts to be the eyes of the ship. For the next several hours ship’s speed was limited to 5 to 7 knots. At 0135, the morning of 17 August, all engines were stopped – visibility was zero. The fog so thick, the crew thought they were steaming inside a light bulb. Would they ever get to Boston?

By 0222 visibility had increased to 700 yards and Mullinnix was able to increase her speed to 15 knots. At 0559 she sighted Cape Cod light bearing 291 true distance 2 miles. You could smell the clam chowder.

With the aid of Civilian Pilot McNaughton, Mullinnix maneuvered to moor port side to pier 4E, Boston Naval Shipyard, Charlestown, Massachusetts. SOPA was CO of USS Macon CA-132. Macon was the first Atlantic Fleet cruiser to fire a Regulus Missile on 8 May 1956 while anchored off the North Carolina coast. In the coming year, her crew would witness Macon to be the first cruiser to enter the Great Lakes region for the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway. A photograph taken during it's passage through the locks was featured on the cover of Life Magazine with a cow grazing in a field in the background. She was also the first to be over 500 feet above sea level.

It was good to be back. The crew needed the down time, the Mux a breather. She’d performed beyond all expectations.

To be continued…
Cheers,
Woody

Woodstock - 39 Years ago today

2008-08-15T19:02:00.002-05:00

15 August, 1969 Bethel, New York --- Where were you on this date? I was probably just finishing up summer school at Kearney State College in Kearney, Nebraska and preparing to go to my last semester. After the fall semester and a 0.7 grade point average I was in the Navy by 16 Feb, 1970.

.7 grade pont on a 4 point scale? Yep - 3 Technical Fs, 1 D, and an "A" in advanced-beginning swimming. You are awarded a Technical F when you don't go to class - drinking beer instead.

I've only met one person that admits being at Woodstock - my Navy buddy Ken "Gus" Kustin. Who else went? Didn't Wavy Gravy say, "there's about 300,000 of you fuckers out there?" If any of you read this post, let me hear from you!!!

For a great trip (...without even leaving the farm...), check out http://www.woodstock69.com/index.htm. Great site!!

Even though I wasn't there in person, even today, I can proudly say, "I'm from the Woodstock generation!"

AND: "I had long hair back when long hair meant something..."

Cheers,
Woody

50 Years Ago, Mux Prepares to leave Tampico for Boston!

2008-08-08T07:31:00.000-05:00

(Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)

Mullinnix received 2363 visitors on 8 August and an additional 2751 on the 9th. The crew continued to show that they were adept at making friends and extending the good wishes of the American People in every port.

Goodbye Tampico. So said the crew as tugs Tames and Panuco came alongside to port to assist Mullinnix in her departure to Boston, Massachusetts in accordance with COMDESLANT Modified Movement Order 20-58. The ship would spend most of the rest of 1958 in the shipyards during which time many modifications would be made to her original construction. At 0955 she passed Southern Breakwater Light abeam to starboard. Four minutes later the Special Sea and Anchor Detail was secured. State-side her we come! Well, no so fast. At 1446 all engines were stopped, laying to off Tampico Breakwater, received fishing boat Almirante alongside to starboard to debark official guests.

The crew’s prayers were answered. Mullinnix found pristine steaming conditions with cloudless skies and star-studded nights. They were closing in on Boston and by 16 August were within spitting distance of mooring stateside when a storm was building. In the south the sky was the blue-black of gunmetal, the waves capping as far as the eye could see. The thunderheads rippled with electricity.

A network of lighting bloomed, all the way to the top of the sky. While brilliance lit the clouds and waves you could see shipmates on the fantail smoking - like fire flies on a summer night doing a slow burn. The temperature dropped suddenly and chains of dry lighting pulsed inside the clouds, flooding the Mullinnix with a white brilliance that turned the stacks the pale color of old bone.

Fog rolled over Mullinnix smudging out her entire outline. At 1801 she commenced sounding fog signals and stationed lookouts to be the eyes of the ship. For the next several hours ship’s speed was limited to 5 to 7 knots. At 0135, the morning of 17 August, all engines were stopped – visibility was zero. The fog so thick, the crew thought they were steaming inside a light bulb. Would they ever get to Boston?

By 0222 visibility had increased to 700 yards and Mullinnix was able to increase her speed to 15 knots. At 0559 she sighted Cape Cod light bearing 291 true distance 2 miles. You could smell the clam chowder.

To be continued...
Cheers,Woody

50 Years Ago, Mux Prepares to leave Gitmo for Tampico!

2008-07-31T13:07:00.001-05:00

(Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)

At 0825, 31 July found the Mullinnix moored port side to pier Lima, US Naval Operating Base, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. SOPA was Commander Naval Base, Guantanamo. By 1004 she was heavier by 40,000 gallons of NSFO. Loading an additional 99,879 gallons on 2 August, Mullinnix shoved off for sunny Tampico, Mexico in accordance with COMDESLANT Modified MOVORD 20-58. At 1345 she split out her engineering plant and at 1544 she cross-connected the engineering plant.

The Mullinnix’ engineering plant was separated into segments - B1, B2, B3, B4. Two boilers in the forward fire room and two in the aft. Likewise, one engine in the forward engine room (main control) and one aft. Each engine room also housed two generators each. The typical steaming configuration was with one boiler forward powering the forward engine and one boiler aft powering the aft engine. The configuration being spit by two valves, one in the forward engine room the other in the aft fire room. The result was the forward boiler supplying the forward engine and generator, same for aft.

The ship could also run four boilers ‘split’ with two forward boilers powering the forward engine room and the two aft powering the aft engine room. If one boiler had a problem it would not result in a complete lose of power forward or aft.

When steaming with only one boiler on line and two engines the valves were opened or ‘cross-connected’. The same applied to the electrical and fire main supply and other services. In this configuration one boiler supplied all the steam for the entire ship. The ship was said to be cross-connected. Same could be done with the four generators for electrical supply depending on the demand or condition of readiness. Each engine room had a switchboard, manned by the electricians and IC men, to control electrical power.

With the Captain on the bridge, the XO navigating, Captain Bentize as the pilot, and the sun breaking through the thunderheads in the west just above the earth’s rim like liquid fire pooled up inside the clouds, Mullinnix slid past Fado de Tampico Light at 0920. For the first time that sunny day of 6 August the crew could see the Mullinnix’ shadow on the water’s surface. By 1002 she was starboard side to Custom House Pier, Tampico, Mexico, using standard class mooring lines doubled fore and aft.

At 1023 hours, Captain Fahle, USN, Alusna, Mexico came aboard for an official visit with the Captain Anderson. At 1055 the Commanding Officer and Captain Fahle left the ship to call officially on the US Consul to Mexico in Tampico, the Mayor of Tampico, the Commandant of Eighth Army District and the Commandant of the First Naval Zone.

Tampico is a port city located at the southeastern tip of the state of Tamaulipas along the Gulf of Mexico. It’s one of Mexico’s leading ports and oil-refining centers. Tampico itself lies in a marshy region where the Panuco River meets the Gulf of Mexico. Numerous small estuaries and several lakes, including Laguna de Chairel surround the city. South of town, the Puente Tampico (Tampico Bridge) crosses the Rio Panuco to Veracruz state.

Tampico is a fascinating town to wander about and explore. However, the beeline to cold beer and hot women found the crew passing everything from multi-national markets to small shops selling Huastec arts and crafts. For those mates from Louisiana, the old part of town had the feel of the New Orleans French Quarter. Plaza de la Libertad is a historic area surrounded by old colonial buildings. A block away was the Plaza de Armas, with its majestic City Hall guarded by lush palm trees. Other sites in Tampico included the Museum of Huasteca Culture and the cathedral built in 1823. Playa Miramar was a public beach popular with locals, therefore sailors.

Chief Gunnersmate Taylor was a great bear of a man with a small head and an extraordinary round face lined with deep creases and crevices like a turnip. His bright penetrating eyes beneath bushy eyebrows, shining as he remembered those far-away places as if they were yesterday, bored through you leaving you feeling naked. He was a by-the-book lifer than ran Gun Division with an iron fist. But on occasion, when the work was done, no matter the time of day he was known to surprise his gunners with, “Boys, the sun’s over the yardarm somewhere, you think maybe it’s time for a beer?”

Today was one of the those rare moments when Venus aligned with Mars and Gun Division was knocking off on liberty at 1400.

Taylor explained, “Don’t you worry none, I’ll square it with the Weapons Officer. Just don’t leave the ship in mass, be smart about it, leave the ship by ones and twos and nobody’ll be the wiser. AND, don’t do anything stupid while on the beach, understand? I don’t have to coming looking for any of you bastards in the morning! Got it?”

“Right Chief!”

Tampico has had a tram system since 1879. One line ran on a ten kilometer suburban line from city center to the beach, aptly called "Playa Miramar". The service consisted of a fleet of 8-wheel 15-window trams, all with arch roofs.

It didn’t take the gunners long to uncover that tram-surfing was the fastest most efficient way to the beach as Playa Miramar was only three miles from city center. Yesterday’s clouds had scattered. The sun, well the sun was the sun. The palm trees were like scorched tin cutouts against it. As the train neared the bay, a sea plane’s engines roar to life struggling to clear the water like a mechanized gooney bird. They glided passed a gray stone house that looked like it had grown organically from the surrounding rock.

The tide was in, and big rollers were breaking on the beach. As they descend from the train at the beach station, they could smell the waves, full of seaweed as they burst onto the hot sand. The land side of the beach was shaded with casuarinas trees These hardy trees with no leaves as such, having many toothed sheaths instead. There woody fruit/nuts littered the ground. The grayish barked, close grained trucks stood sixty feet in height, appearing longitudinally cracked and corky in appearance. Sea birds flew low, wings kissing the water, their shadows in a race they would never win.

They had brought cutoff dungarees for swimsuits. Skinny dipping was for later when the sky was full of stars and bellies were full of beer. They piled their belongs into a make shift teepee of sorts, hiding wallets under the stack of clothes. As an unheard starters-gun exploded, they crashed through the breakers until they were chest-deep in the water, the beach behind them biscuit-colored and lined with palm trees and hotels that had fallen into decay.

Salt water can take a terrible toll on a sailor’s thirst. After an hour of attempted drownings and water-wrestling it was time to find a cold one…or two. The sun looked tired, taking its time getting down in the west, as they stood in the wind, sweet as a woman’s kiss against the skin, to drip-dry. They gathered their belongs at started walking down the beach towards a palm-topped structure that just might be a sea-front bar.

Moments later they walked up to the entrance to the Cock and Pheasant. The “cock” was an oasis of tranquility and sensory delight, as effectively isolated from the outside world and its concerns as if by the eternal snows of high Kilimanjaro. The entire front open to the sea, the place had a distinctly nautical flavor; a tarnished brass telescope; a barometer; a ship’s clock and several framed photographs of fighting ships for unknown countries. It wasn’t a clean bar, let alone well-lit, but there was rum, cold beer, women, a few drunks, and from their table the gunners could carry on watching the beach and its two-legged beauties.

GMG2 Harry Barnett bought the first round with Chief Taylor’s bills. Taylor had told Barnett to insure the boys had a good time. Cutting the salt water with cold beer and cigarettes called for round two in short order. The sun sunk further, turning the ocean from a dark blue to more of a metallic hue. The waves smaller, shadows of the overhead wood fan flicking across Barnett’s face, like clock hands out of control.

Round three. The bartender was a filthy sort. He had eye-boogers the size of walnuts and snot-balls in his uncut moustache. Round four. Time to think about eating. Round five. Time to eat. The gun crew chose a sampling of Tampico’s cuisine, from red snapper and shark to crab stuffed with Mexican corn truffle to sea bass in a vinegar-based marinade.

Round six. The black piano bench was empty. The ivory keys waited to be tickled. A man appeared from the back room. He had thick black eyebrows accenting an angular face the looked like it had been assembled out of spare parts. Like ugly on an ape. Big gut and no ass, he strolled over to the keyboard, flexed his long fingers above the key board like a professional, sat, and started playing Cab Calloway’s The Ghost of Smoky Joe.

Round seven. Toot toot toot Toot diddle-ee-ada-toot-diddle-ee-ada. The ape had a partner. Her gown was orange and one foot had a silver anklet. Her eyes dissected Barnett’s face. Liberty call and the spicy scent of a foreign port, nothing better in the life of a sailorman. She sang and talked like a smoky-voiced angel. Her smoky gray eyes, gazing over the microphone, bore into Barnett’s like two heat-seeking missiles on a collision course with his soul.

Round eight. The ape took a break. She gave Barnett another look, like something almost being said. The cultural and language gap that existed between them, made actual words nearly impossible. Yet it came as close to true feelings as they would get. She came over and sat down, smiled, took a long pull from his beer, smiled some more, said something in Spanish. She had a voice that made you want to order dessert.

Round nine. The ape was back. She went back to work.

GMG3 Paul Snodgrass leaned over to Barnett and slurred, “Who was that?”

“Ms. Right”

“Since When?”

“Okay, Ms Right Now. Which would have been just fine.”

“Barnett you are crazy man, Nuts, just plane nuttier than a fruit cake!”

Round ten, eleven, twelve, baker’s dozen. Barnett woke the following morning, alone, in his own rack, feeling as if he had swallowed a rug. Chief Taylor rolled around the next bunk and leaned into Barnett, “Gunny, thanks for bringing all the boys home in one piece. I appreciate it. Did they have fun? Gunny? You OK?

“Yo Chief. Uh, yah, they DID have a great time. They blew off most of that steam that had been buildin’. Thanks again for the doe Chief.” Pause. “Hey Chief? You got any aspirin?”
“Hell no! Get your ass out of that rack and I’ll buy you a cup of Navy coffee. NOW sailor!” Liberty was over, back to the Navy.

To be continued...
Cheers,Woody

50 Years Ago, Mux visits Sao Salvador, Brazil for the first time!

2008-07-21T10:34:00.000-05:00

(Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)

The morning of 17 July found Mullinnix steaming for Sao Salvador, Brazil, literal translation, Holy Savior of All Saints' Bay. A city on the northeast coast of Brazil and the capital of the northeastern Brazilian State of Bahia. A relatively short trip found Mullinnix moored port side to berth 8 with fifteen fathoms of chain to the starboard anchor at 0903, 19 July. Ships present included the Brazilian Corvette May V-22 and numerous merchant vessels. Civilian pilot, Captain Raimundo A. Lins, made maneuvering the harbor channel of Sao Salvador a breeze.

Salvador is located on a small, roughly triangular peninsula that separates Todos os Santos Bay from the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The bay, which gets its name from having been discovered on All Saints' Day forms a superb natural harbor, and Salvador is a major export port, lying at the heart of the Recôncavo Baiano, a rich agricultural and industrial region encompassing the northern portion of coastal Bahia. The local terrain diverse, ranging from flat to rolling hills and low mountains. The coastline featuring sandy beaches, sea cliffs, mangrove swamps, and a number of islands, the largest of which, Itaparica, being a famous resort area.

After near paradise in Rio followed by 3 days in Sao Salvador, the crew was wondering if they could have too much liberty. That was nearly impossible wasn’t it? They were about to find out. At 0935, with the guidance of Civilian Pilot Captain Arlinido M. Santos, 22 July, Mullinnix headed to Recife, Brazil. The buzz on the fantail was centered on how the women in Recife would stack up with those from Rio and Sao Salvador. A sailors imagination can do some awful funny things to imagines of beautiful women in their minds.

Recife, the capital of the northeastern state of Pernambuco, was built as a port city along tropical, white-sand beaches lined with palm trees. Called the "Venice of Brazil" because it is dissected by numerous waterways and connected by many bridges. The city got its name from the coral reefs that line the coast.

A sailors imagination can be very cruel at times. Liberty in Recife? Fat fuckin’ chance. A fucking fuel stop, period.

Civilian Pilot, Captain Julius Maihaco, guided Mullinnix to starboard side of Customs Wharf. By 1700 hours, she had taken on 119,450 gallons of Navy Special. By 1733, all lines were clear and the crew was drilling the coastline with longing stares of what could have been. What could have been? As the Mullinnix slipped through a grouping of local fishermen going out to sea in their jangadas, crude log rafts with their beautiful sails…what could have been. Instead? Guantanamo Bay, Cuba – well, shit!

The skipper must of thought the crew was getting the hang of things as drills were noticeable reduced in route to Gitmo. Besides the occasional general quarters drill and the daily steering casualty drill, the crew focused on their areas of responsibility. There was no pattern to the sky most days – no rhyme, no reason to the shading nor shape, like Mother Nature had thrown her cloud pallet against the heavens. It poured. The kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down the spout. Its easy to be mesmerized by rainfall. You get lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and grit of the Mullinnix. The sky was black and bursting with trees of electric ties. Near dusk it would clear. By nightfall the sky would looked like a black piece of crepe paper that had been poked with millions of needles of light.

To be continued...

Cheers,
Woody

50 Years Ago, Mux arrives in Rio for the first time (11th July)!

2008-07-10T21:02:00.000-05:00

(Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)

Sun-drenched days filled with plane guard duty, flight operations, and helicopter transfers, and star-studded nights filled with steaming, movies on the torpedo-deck, bullshitting on the fantail ushered Mullinnix to Rio de Janeiro. With the aid of civilian pilot, Captain Mariano, Mullinnix moored port side to the west side of Finger pier, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil the morning of 11 July.

The crow shits! Payday! The holiest day on board ship. In this era, the Navy paid sailors in cold hard cash – green backs baby. Ensign Brown typically kept about $20,000 in cash in the ship’s safe. Much of which was recycled aboard ship. After payday, Brown would collect cash from the ship’s store and the post office – money order sales. Were else was a sailor going to spend his money at sea?

Currency exchange could be a real challenge however. In Rio, Recife, and Salvador, most thought that Ensign Brown was doing them a favor by exchanging green backs for Cruzieros. Truth of the matter, Brown had to pay the Mullinnix’ fuel bill in cash – in Cruzieros!

The payday challenges would increased in Tampico, Mexico. Ensign Brown and petty-officer Guth would trek to the bank ‘on the other side of the tracks’, heavily armed, to fetch pesos for the crew.

There is a built in advantage of a destroyer over larger ships, particularly carriers. Most piers aren’t large enough nor the water deep enough to allow carriers to berth. Destroyers? No problemo! Guess who’s first on liberty call?

Where the pier in Trinidad was an ancient frame of heavy weathered timbers, the Rio pier was all concrete and gleaming steel. Two sets of rails ran down the center of the pier – one for cargo locomotives, the other for a massive crane that dwarfed Mullinnix. The sky was purple and full of gulls as the IMC announced, “secure the special sea and anchor detail”. Lighting crawled through the clouds overhead as those lucking enough to pull liberty left the ship, curious how a ship the size of their own could be moored so close to the city center.

The pier was a perpendicular extension of the main cornish in Rio. As the crew walked under the Eiffel Tower-like structure of the giant crane, there eyes were immediately met by the hustle and bustle of a teeming Rio de Janeiro and its beautiful European-influenced architecture. Many buildings topping out at over twenty stories, some triangular in shape with rounded corners versus the classic rectangular shape with sharp contours. All were different shades of white-washed to tan to light-brown brick with the top stories stair-stepping like ancient pyramids.

Nestled strategically between these imposing giants was the landscaping and architecture of Rio’s humble beginnings. An eye appealing blend of two to three story stucco structures that reminded one of a small Mediterranean village and giant tropical trees casting their shadows over manicured lawns and lush multi-colored flowerbeds.

At Street level, the nightclubs numbered into the dozens. The hues alone were incredible. Everything was dripping in rich, over-saturated color – the club architecture, the costumes, the women – it was like an explosion at the Technicolor factory with Carmen Miranda’s presence at an event that was pending.

The sounds. In the early 1950s Brazilian musicians heard the "cool jazz" of the US and adapted it to a gentler samba rhythm syncopated on the guitar. The result was the reflective, romantic music called Bossa Nova. This beat oozed out of clubs, joints, and dives like wet cement, snail-like, moving, never fast, crawling up the legs of sailors that lingered outside.

The people. Brazilians know how to party, whether it is a post-soccer beer-bash at a beach kiosk, an evening’s entertainment at a roadhouse or a drink at one of the numerous bars and clubs tucked into tight crevices on many streets. With booze served at all hours, the locals drink with friends at corner bars. The real action, sailor-action, didn’t really start until around 2300, when the Bossa Nova clubs open their doors for music, dancing, drinking, and meeting the next perfect woman in your life.

The beaches. Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon were special for sailors so far away from home. Many parties could be found at the kiosks that lined the beach promenades or around the Lagoa.

The women. With a city proportioned and decked-out like this, the local population of the female persuasion had to be, just had to be, as beautiful as well. The crew was to find out that was the understatement of their enlistment.

To be continued...

Cheers,
Woody

50 Years Ago, Mux crosses the equator for the first time (6th July)!

2008-07-10T20:49:00.001-05:00

(Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)

Like scout camp the day the scoutmaster was sick. The inmates took over the asylum…for a day.

Day came on the port beam. The early sun was a burnt scarlet through the gap between MT53 and the aft bulkhead of the superstructure and a lone gull was shadowing the fantail. The Mullinnix lay uncharacteristically dead in the water.

The day started normally enough but quickly turned to lunacy as the traditional change-of-command was tossed aside. On this day, the most holly of navy days, the Mullinnix organizational chart was a very flat one indeed. Shellbacks in the top box, pollywogs in the bottom box – an org chart that corporation CEO’s could only dream about.

A pollywog headcount was taken with a noticeable few of the crew unaccounted for. Men over board? Unlikely. Pollywogs in hiding? You bet your sweet ass. A new man on board ship may think there are an unlimited number of places to hide if one doesn’t want to be found for midwatch, head-cleaning or mess-cooking. Today however, the Mullinnix crew might as well been encased inside a Cheerio.

The pollywog-muster was completed. The hard-to-fine ones, including a LTJG and two Ensigns, would be dealt with in short order.

The first order of the day was announcing the pollywog uniform-of-the-day. This required dressing ‘down’ for the occasion. Customary dungarees were replaced with skivvies – worn backwards, and T-shirts for the lucky ones. As covers were not authorized, pollywogs needed assistance with their hair-grooming. Shellbacks had just the correct tonic, ‘baby-shit’ – the machinist wonder-packing for anything with a rubber component.

Hair-grooming that is, for what hair was left. The 2nd order of the day was fresh haircuts for most pollywogs. And not from the ship’s barbers. These were haircuts performed by ‘barber-strikers’ – ie – shellbacks. A zip here, a swipe there, a crosshatch here and there as the barber shears hummed and the pile of hair on the deck grew to ankle-deep.

The sun was white and hot in the sky, and the humidity felt like damp wool on the skin. As the day wore on, yet unforeseen sights on board Mullinnix became common place. Pollywogs wearing baby bonnets, smeared in grease from their necks to belly buttons and lower for those that were late for muster. Many wore ripped and torn ladies dresses, bras, and panties. As each kissed the Royal Baby’s grease-glazed watermelon-sized belly there faces became like an over-filled zirk-fitting.

Shellbacks had applied zany-looking mascara to their eyes and other body parts, matching their pirate-like costumes. Make shift head gear of all shapes and colors. Arms and legs chopped out of dungarees. Sashes fashioned from torn strips of women’s dresses. Captain Jack Sparrow would have been mighty proud.

This entire zany tradition-laden scene had been duplicated simultaneously onboard the Ranger just few thousand yards away.

The sun retreated behind the edge of the water. The crew, all 287 shellbacks, watched the sun disappear completely, the ocean going from blue to black. All that was left of their view was the noise of the water kissing the bow as the Mullinnix slowly increased her speed. From that moment forward there wasn’t a ‘pollywog’ within the two visible horizons.

For a day, the Mullinnix crew’s organizational flow chart had shrunk to one box. First plankowners together and now shellbacks together. Parallel bonds never to be breached.

To be continued...

Cheers,
Woody

50 Years Ago, Mux saves downed pilot AND steams towards the equator for the first time!

2008-07-05T07:14:00.000-05:00

... The morning of 4 July, Mullinnix’ first Independence Day, was indeed special. All of the hard work, the training, the drills, and the strict adherence to Naval policy was about to pay off – in spades! The day, cloudless and still, started like many others recently with the stationing of the plane guard detail as the Ranger commenced flight operations. The crew comfortable with their ship’s role and their individual responsibilities.

Then, at 1047, the word that all sailors dread, “Pilot reported down in water bearing 330, distance 43 miles”. Mullinnix immediately changed course and with black smoke bellowing from both stacks, increased speed to 30 knots. Covering the distance in sort order with the entire crew lining the life-lines in hopes of spotting the downed pilot, he was picked up by helicopter recovery at 1149. Fortunately the pilot, once back onboard Ranger, was reported uninjured.

As the sun dipped below the horizon on 5 July, the sky exploded in hues of pinks, reds, oranges, violets and purples. The reflected surface magnified the color wheel 100 times as the water’s liquid motion infused the colors with a life of their own. Both ships nearing the equator for the first time, a crossing that would enshrine all hands into the coveted fraternity of ‘shellbacks’.

In the Navy, a sailor that has not crossed the equator is known as a Pollywog. A sailor having made the crossing is referred to as a Shellback. When a ship crosses the equator it is naval tradition for the Shellbacks to initiate those Pollywogs in a "Crossing the Line" ceremony. Those Pollywogs, often referred to as "Slimy Pollywogs" during the crossing, must endure a variety of initiation events. The specific initiation events vary to some degree from ship to ship and crossing to crossing, dependent largely on the creativity of those Shellbacks on board and the materials on hand.

As a ship crosses the equator, Pollywogs must pay their respect to King Neptune, God of the Seas. The Shellbacks, having been across before and now "Sons of Neptune" (or perhaps something worse from the Pollywog's point of view) play the roles of a variety of characters such as King Neptune, Neptune's Queen, Davey Jones, the Royal Baby, the Royal Cop, and various other "needed" characters of the moment!

Messcook, and shellback, first class Robert ‘Bob’ Smart and his galley bunch secretly starting collecting raw garbage in late June – in preparation for ‘the crossing’ on 6 July. Large collections of women’s garments, hats, and massacre had been collected for weeks and hidden in the bowels of the ship. The engineers had acquired a three-foot diameter, thirty-foot long piece of flexibly air-duck that looked like a giant translucent slinky.

Shellbacks laid plans, schemed, manufactured pirate-like head gear, and cherished the day that was soon to come. Pollywogs heard grumblings, rumors, and secretive episodes of laughter. Ensigns, including Ensign J.J. O’Connell, and most Lieutenant JGs didn’t give it a second thought. They should have. The CO and XO smiled with anticipation.

King Neptune was chosen, given his crown, pitchfork, and Jane Russell-size undergarments. Grease was horded. Paddles distributed. Dunk-tanks built. Old dungarees cut off at the knees in Fred Flintstone saw-tooth fashion. Fire hoses cut into 3-ft lengths.

Tomorrow was the 6th of July…finally...

To be continued...

Cheers,
Woody

50 Years Ago Today, Mux steams towards Rio for the first time!

2008-07-01T09:53:00.001-05:00

(Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)

...1 July 1958 found the Mullinnix and Ranger departing Trinidad, steaming towards Rio de Janeiro, Brazil per USS Ranger Op-Order 4-58. After clearing the Gulf of Paria and securing the Special Sea Detail, Mullinnix began plane guard detail as the Ranger continued flight operations.

An Officer of the Deck (OOD) is always on the bridge when a ship is underway. Each OOD stands a four-hour watch and is the officer designated by the Commanding Officer to be in charge of the ship. The OOD is responsible for the safety and operation of the ship, including navigation, ship handling, communications, routine tests and inspections, reports, supervision of the watch team, and carrying out the Plan of the Day.

When a ship suffers damage, even minor damage, the OOD is responsible and the shit hits the fan. Steaming 4000 yards astern of Ranger, ENS Edward A. Brewton was on top of the world. He was well on his way to a successful career in the Navy and at the moment was in command of the Navy’s newest destroyer. Standing tall underneath his newly minted blue ball cap and dressed in starched Ensign attire with gleaming unscratched Ensign bars mounted on his shoulders, he was king.

Brewton surveyed the Mullinnix bridge in the radiance of the day. She looked like home to him. He approved of her, she suggested sanctuary, respectability and endurance, and she had dignity. Whether arrogance or ignorance, whether lack of training or common sense, Brewton made a series of decisions that resulted in Mullinnix dead in the water and the Captain’s gig in the water. The deck log entry stated, “minor damage to the gig resulted from improper seamanship”.

QM3 Richard “Buss” Bussey, the Quartermaster of the Watch, leered at Brewton out of the corner of his eye with a look the said simply, “How bad does it suck to be you?”

Brewton’s world imploded on him. His crumpled face resembled a tennis ball that had been left several days in the rain. Punishment was swift and severe – restricted to quarters and suspended from duty for ten days. What wasn’t recorded in the deck log – the probable end of a Naval career...

To be continued...

Cheers,
Woody

50 Years Ago Last Night Mux pulled into a foreign port for the first time!

2008-06-27T13:53:00.002-05:00

(Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)

Diamond Rock Light passed abeam to port, signaling the arrival at US Naval Station, Port of Spain, Trinidad, British West Indies the morning of 26 June.

Her first visit to a foreign port, Port of Spain. The shear spectacle of the U.S. Navies newest man-of-war tied up portside to the antiquated pier, not even leaving room enough to dock a dingy, was inspiring. With the sun boiling overhead the crew could see heat lighting in the distant clouds and smell distance rain. Ignoring the potential weather, three-thousand visitors came on board Mullinnix in three days to explore the ship and meet the crew.

Calypso, a form of topical song that originated in Trinidad, was one of the first popular music traditions from outside North America and Europe to be commercially recorded. For those short periods of time when the crew wasn’t coughing dust at the local watering holes or dancing at these Calypso clubs, they were able to take in the famous “Red House of Parliament” and other historical landmarks.

To be continued...

Cheers,
Woody

50 Years Ago Today - Mux heads home from Gitmo for the first time!

2008-06-13T18:01:00.000-05:00

(Excerpt from “The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944” - A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood)

Graduation day, 13 June 1958. Shakedown completed, behind them, never again. “Halle-fuckin’-lujah! Let’s get the fuck out of dodge and haul-ass home!”

With 40,715 gallons NSFO (Navy Special Fuel Oil) safely on board, Mullinnix was underway at 1421 for home – Norfolk, Virginia, in accordance with COMDESLANT Notice 03120, serial 0264, of 17 March 1958. At 1437, the crew gave the Fisherman’s Point Light a collective ‘fuck you’ as they steamed to open water.

The trip home was filled with days of white hot sun that forced heat to rise off the decks, making the horizon look liquid, almost molten, like a painting that was melting. Each evening the sun would set like a molten planet descending into its own smoke. The nights were black, wrinkled in the wind, the Mullinnix bladed by moonlight. She glided through the two and three foot swells like a three dimensional knife through butter. Almost noiseless. The faint whistle of her self-generated 20 knot wind rushing by the ears of the crew, cool to the salt-flecked skin.

Steaming home feels different than other steaming. With water to the horizon in all directions, one would wonder how sailors could tell. They can. An internal compass that all sailors posses alerts the senses that home is forward of the bow and getting closer with each passing minute, with each passing nautical-mile, with each watch stood.

To be continued...

Cheers,
Woody

It's A Boy!!!

2008-05-22T12:55:00.003-05:00

Carter Paul Wood entered this world and just about the same time they were announcing the new American Idol on Fox on the evening of 21 May 2008. Sorry David Cook, but my vote is for Carter. What a beautiful buddle of joy - he's a keeper!!!

I got to hold him this morning - WOW!!! It's great being 57!!!!

Everyone will have to buy me a round at next year's reunion and cruise.

Cheers,
Pops (this is in lieu of grandpa; short for “Popeye the sailorman!”)

Survived Another Mux Reunion - Barely!!!

2008-05-19T21:04:00.002-05:00

"Oh What A Night, Sure Had a Real Good Time..."

Foghat had it right. What a night! What a 2-days! What a reunion!!!

We were 2 days late, but we made it up (in spades) with the 2 days we had left.

If you missed it, you missed a time-of-your-life. The good news: You can make it up next year. See you in Cajun' Country in 2009. PLUS, we're going back to sea (on a cruise), the day after the reuion. Check out http://www.ussmullinnixassociation.com/index.html for all the details.

Safe travels to all my shipmates,
Later Dudes...
Woody