USS MULLINNIX DD-944
Key West 1961 
1961 Mullinnix Deck Logs
January 1961 (PDF)
February 1961 (PDF)
March 1961 (PDF)
April 1961 (PDF)
May 1961 (PDF)
June 1961 (PDF)
July 1961 (PDF)
August 1961 (PDF)
September 1961 (PDF)
October 1961 (PDF)
November 1961 (PDF)
December 1961 (PDF)
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. The air contained the bright, clean smell of rain in the distance. The barometer was dropping. It would not be long before raindrops would be denting the surface of the sea. AT 2000, she set the special heavy weather anchor detail. it was raining harder. The evening had cooled and darkened early. The wind has risen, not to a prolonged gale but blowing in erratic gusts which howled through the superstructure like a pack of banshee Indians.
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. A sudden downpour exploded, wind whipped the rain in all directions, even horizontal. The wind, between its intermittent howling, tangled itself around the signalman's legs, flattened his uniform as if to smell it before trying to knock him down. Each time he lifted a foot, he ran the risk of losing his balance and falling overboard.
The clouds were jagged and uneven as crocodile's teeth. One of the dark cumulus thunderheads was abruptly shot through by vivid lightning. Even as the crew watched, rain began to fall from the drooping belly of the cloud mass, first in plate blue streamers and then in a sullen deluge, as impenetrable as a sheet of lead.
At 0215 on 21 September, verbal orders were received COMDESFLOT 4 to return to Norfolk. Undamaged, the ship returned to D&S at 0805.
The ship got underway on the morning of 28 September for Key West, Florida. At 2042 she commenced a full power run achieving 33 knots at 2148. At 0415 the ship passed the West Palm Beach beacon and by 0503 she sighted the Miami Beach Tower Light bearing 215 at 21 miles.
On Saturday afternoon shortly after sighting American Shoals Light, the ship maneuvered to investigate a contact off the port bow. S.S. Seatrain Texas out of New York lay dead in the water with a small boat of Cuban Nationals alongside. A coast guard cutter arrived on the scene shortly after Mullinnix and removed the nationals. In December 1967, S. S. Seatrain Texas would be damaged by "floating explosive device" while anchored at Nha Be near Saigon, Vietnam.
By 1626, Mullinnix had entered Key West's main ship channel. With the aid of US Navy Tugs YTB 383 and YTL 440, Mullinnix moored starboard side to Pier D-2, Berth F, US Naval Base Annex, Key West, Florida with standard class mooring lines all doubled.
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After 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 a 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. The Engineering Officer completed inspection of port reduction gear and found no damage. The ship returned to D&S piers on 25 October.
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 requires 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 require painting
* 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 areas of the hub. These areas will be filled in with DEUCON plastic steel and smoothed 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 cavitation 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
20 years after Pearl Harbor, at 1410 on 7 December, shipyard personnel commenced flooding the dry-dock. 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. Later, 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, returning 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...
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