USS MULLINNIX DD-944

Vietnam 1969 - Page 7
16 Jan - 3 Sept

Military Payment Certificates (MPC) were used so the ‘enemy’ could not steel our money


North Vietnamese Postage Stamp


Hanoi Jane

January 1969

President Richard M. Nixon takes office as the new President of the United States. With regard to Vietnam, he promises to achieve “Peace With Honor”. His aim is to negotiate a settlement that will allow the half million U.S. troops in Vietnam to be withdrawn, while still allowing South Vietnam to survive.

January 25 - Peace negotiations begin in Paris.

February 1969

In spite of government restrictions, President Nixon authorizes Operation Menu, the bombing of North Vietnamese and Vietcong bases within Cambodia. Over the following four years, U.S. troops will drop more than a half million tons of bombs on Cambodia.

February 3 - 5 RAR main body departs Sydney on HMAS Sydney
February 5 - RAR arrive at Vung Tau
February 23-24 - Communist forces attack 115 base, towns and cities in South Vietnam

February 22, 1969 (February 20, 1969 was when the Mighty Mux arrived)

In a major offensive, assault teams and artillery attack American bases all over South Vietnam, killing 1,140 Americans. At the same time, South Vietnamese owns and cities are also hit. The heaviest fighting is around Saigon, but fights rage all over South Vietnam. Eventually, American artillery and airpower overwhelm the Vietcong offensive.

February 28 - 1 RAR complete their second tour.

March 20 - HMAS Brisbane departs Sydney on first deployment to Vietnam
March 30 - HMAS Brisbane relieves HMAS Perth at Subic Bay

April 1969

U.S. combat deaths in Vietnam exceed the 33,629 men killed in the Korean War.

April 11 - First RAAF "Bushranger" mission is flown.

May 5 - 6 - RAR main body departs for Vietnam on HMAS Sydney. Australian Forces(1 ATF) conduct a series of operations "to deny VC access from the surrounding country side" including the notorious Long Hai Hills.

May 19 - 6 RAR arrive Vung Tau and 4 RAR main body departs for Australia on HMAS Sydney
May 30 - 4 RAR arrive in Brisbane, Australia completing its first tour of Vietnam

June 5 - Bombing recommences against North Vietnam, the first since November, 1968

June 6 - The Battle of Binh Ba. D Coy 5 RAR with Centurion tanks and APCs fight an 8 hour battle with North Vietnamese troops at the town of Binh Ba. . They are re-enforced with another Infantry Company and a Bushranger Gunship. More than 100 enemy are killed with Australian losses of 1 killed and 10 wounded.

June 8, 1969

President Nixon meets with South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu on Midway Island in the Pacific, and announces that 25,000 U.S. troops will be withdrawn immediately. (Withdrawal is completed by August)

June – July - 5 RAR conducts Op "Esso" in the Dat Do area and suffers high casualties from mines, previously laid by Australian Engineers. Operations are ceased in that area.

August 11-12 - 8 RAR ambush 50 VC entering Hoa Long village and kill 19 and capture 10.

September 4 - The death of Ho Chi Minh
September 15 - HMAS Vendetta departs Sydney on Vietnam deployment
September 16. Further troop withdrawals of 6,000 mostly from Thailand, announced by the US
September 28 - HMAS Vendetta relieves HMAS Brisbane at Subic Bay

October 8 - Laos requests increased aid from the US to meet Communist aggression.

November - Massive anti-war demonstrations across the USA

November 3 - President Nixon's Speech on "Vietnamisation"

November 18 - 8 RAR depart Australia on HMAS Sydney. November 28 - 8 RAR arrive at Vung Tau . 9 RAR departs for Australia

December 9 - 9 RAR arrive home at Port Adelaide

December 15 - President Nixon announces the withdrawal of a further 50,000 troops by April 1970.

December 18 - US Congress forbids the introduction of ground troops to Laos and Thailand.

December 21 - Thailand announces the withdrawal of its 12,000 troops for Vietnam. Filipino troops have already departed. South Korea will continue to maintain its 50,000 force.

December 31 - US military strength now at 474,000



The 2 pictures on the left were taken on the Mullinnix in 1969 somewhere in the Pacific during the WestPac Cruise. The photo on the left is of three fellows from the radio shack: B Mayhue, R Hawkins, and James Fisher (he is on the shipmates list). As one can see from the three foot section of 1 ˝” fire hose that Hawkins is holding, this was taken during the festivities held while crossing the equator. What a blast that was.

The photo on the left is Jim Fisher and Dennis Bergeron, after an unrep during which the Mullinnix had an "emergency breakaway". The ship's gyros were messed up and refueling was difficult, especially in rough water. Courtesy of Dennis Bergeron.

_______________



Pollywog Day was held on 12 April, 1969. It was quite a time!! It was tons of fun. The top left picture shows a poor pollywog with funnel in his mouth gets ready to have and egg thrown into it!! The photo to the right illustrates the garbage chute the pollywogs had to crawl through. When you were halfway through, a shellback would lift up each end of the chute and the pollywog would be swimming in the stuff!! The lower left hand photo was some sort of beauty contest. Dennis Bergeron really doesn't remember what that was all about because he was laughing so hard. He thinks it had something to do with picking King Neptune's Daughter. And the last photo, on the lower right, is RM2 Dennis Bergeron and another radioman both brand new shellbacks.



These pictures on the right where taken in the Pacific during the Mux's 1969 WestPac Cruise during one of her many underway replenishments. The photo on the left is RM2 Dennis Bergeron. Shortly after it was taken, the Mux and the tanker had an emergency breakaway due to faulty gyros and rough weather. In the picture on the right, notice the downed fuel lines in the water spilling their contents into the Pacific. The crew hit the deck fast as the cables supporting the fuel lines snapped and broke loose from their connecting points. Never a dull moment on the Mighty Mux!!



_______________


Top Gun 1969


Mullinnix Top Gun Stats


MT 52 in Action


MT 51


MT 53





1969 Mullinnix Deck Logs

January 1969 (PDF)
February 1969 (PDF)
March 1969 (PDF)
April 1969 (PDF)
May 1969 (PDF)
June 1969 (PDF)
July 1969 (PDF)
August 1969 (PDF)
September 1969 (PDF)
October 1969 (PDF)
November 1969 (PDF)
December 1969 (PDF)



GO TO Caribbean - 1970

Go Back to 1969 Vietnam - Page 6
Go Back to 1969 Vietnam - Page 5
Go Back to 1969 Vietnam - Page 4
Go Back to 1969 Vietnam - Page 3
Go Back to 1969 Vietnam - Page 2
Go Back to 1969 Vietnam - Page 1

Go Back to Ship History
Home