USS MULLINNIX DD-944
1976 - North Atlantic
L to R: BMC Christman, Ens Marcovich, FR Fenton, Ens Shermis, Enis Lovejoy, LT CMDR Brown, unknown shipmate
Mullinnix had very few Blue Noses so only a few representatives actually undressed and painted
Courtesy Larry Whitcomb
Bob Eschbach's Blue Nose Card for crossing the Artic Circle
Check courtesy of Richard Emerson. Rich tells the following story...
The check was for Comrats on shore patrol in Antalya, Turkey in Feb
76. The Mux was a part of the NATO force for a few months on our cruise
and we left the Independence Battle Group to work with 3 other NATO
ships. We had made a port call with the NATO ships in Izmir and
Antalya, Turkey in Oct/Nov 75 and during our visit in Antalya, the
locals assaulted several Mux sailors (me included). At the time the
Turks were angry with the US over an arms embargo because of the Cyprus
conflict.
The Mux was all too happy to leave Antalya and we thought that was the
end of that place for us but we went back in Feb 76 by ourselves for I
believe was an 1 day port visit (anchored out).
Me, EW2 David Cox and FTG2 Jerry Baker had
shore patrol that night and the assaults happened again (relatively
minor because most crew members choose not to go ashore). Long story
short, the Turkish military got involved, the shore patrol (we 3) were
pretty much it for our guys and late into the evening the three of us
were "stuck" along at fleet landing with the "bad guys" peeking around
the corners at us. We got out of their but not without being scared to
death (we were prepared to swim back to the ship or steal a boat).
Anyway, for all that stress I got my $1.80 check. I thought then that I
would never cash it so I could remember the incident.
Those are times I will not forget. I knew pretty much everyone on board
at the time. My running buddy, Dave Cox, was one of the most popular
guys on the ship (he checked on for the Middle East cruise in 1974). He
and I took over and ran probably the biggest slush fund on the ship. We
also set up the CCTV system for our cruise so the crew could watch
recorded shows on TV. Dave had a nightly TV show where he read the news
(courtesy of Radio). All in all, it was great.
I stayed on for the North Atlantic cruise in 1976 and the yard period in
Brooklyn in 1977. The one picture I sent was in the barracks at the old
Brooklyn Navy Yard in 1977. I was re-enlisting and OE division (ENS La
Mesa was the division officer) we all present as you can see in the
photo. I got $12,000 to re-enlist and I was transferred in January (I
think) of 78.
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BT Michael Johnston remembers that Mullinnix was the first American Warship to enter Hammerfest Norway since the end of WW2. BTW, after Michael's discharge in 1977 he married a girl from Hammerfest.
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Mullinnix made numerous ports of call including Le Harve, France; Aalborg, Denmark; Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Hamerfest, Norway; Hamburg,Germany; and Southampton, England.
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