USS MULLINNIX DD-944

13 June 1972
DATELINE: Vietnam Gunline

Counter Battery! Counter Battery!
Missile Between Stacks!!!

Lifting his head from the rangefinder, he listened. There was a noise, faintly discernible, like the creeping of myriad insects. He remembered it from his childhood nights, lying awake in his bedroom of his parent’s rural Texas ranch house, a sound he had never heard in the noise of cities, the first, gentle, sibilant whisper of the night rain.

Soon it was followed by a spatter of drops against the open hatch of the MK68 Aft Director and the rising moan of the wind. There was a violent flurry of rain against the Director and then, as quickly as it had begun, the brief storm was over. He stood up and stuck his head out of the square hatch to savor the smell of the damp night air and gaze out into a blanket of darkness, the coastline merging with the paler sky.

Then he saw it, as small as a firefly but with a glowing tail. Off in the distance it was hard to determine which direction it was moving let alone what it was. He watched mesmerized as it arced towards the night sky, the tail disappearing as the glow became more intense. He realized, too late, that it was headed for Mullinnix. As he ducked inside the director to grab the headphones, a bone-crunching whoosh roared over the radar dish, between the two stacks, the heat raising the hair on the back of his neck.

"Hey Woody, this is Brock in the Aft Director, something is going on..."

Before I could answer, Walter “Animal” Brewbaker, also in the Director with Brock, awoke with a start, “What the fuck was what?”

FTG3 John Brock answered, “I think they’re shooting flares at us!”

Fully awake now, Brewbaker raised his head through the hatch just as the next rocket was launched. “Hell Brock, those aren’t flares, they're fuckin’ rockets!!!”

"Plot, this is Brewbaker! We got..."

"Walt, I'm on it," I answered. "Combat, this is Plot..."

"We're on it Plot, stand by."

Brock’s response to Brewbaker was drowned out by the 1MC announcement, “General Quarters, General Quarters, Man your battle stations, this is NOT A DRILL!!!,this is NOT A DRILL!!! ”

__________


Counter Battery!!!
306 Rounds Fired by Mullinnix on 13 June




(The aft) MK68 Director, USS Mullinnix DD-944
Actual Date Unknown

14 June, 1972 (South Vietnam gunline)

Dear Mom, Dad, Sue
I got your letters dated the 5th and 6th day before yesterday. And the one dated the 8th today. That’s not to bad. We got shot at twice night before last (12 June) [Deck Logs say 13 June]. The 1st one missed our stack by a few feet, went right over us. To close for comfort.

We pull into Subic the 18th instead of the 22nd (June). And stay for 3 weeks (This is BS according to the deck logs). That will be a much-needed break for everybody. Then back out here. We’re supposed to go to Japan for sure and maybe Hong Kong and Australia on the way back. That will be good liberty.

It doesn’t rain very often, but when it rains it pours. You wouldn’t believe it, you can’ t even see the other side of the ship. To bad about Andy, but that’s the way the service treats you, he’d better get use to it. I hope Nebraska can pull #1 one more time then I’ll be satisfied. Everybody on the ship is against me of course, but I’m use to that. I’ll get Mom a present (for birthday) & Dad one for Father’s day. They’ll be a little late, but they will be there. Write soon and take care. Love, Frank

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