USS MULLINNIX DD-944

8 April 1972
Mullinnix Ordered to Vietnam

Introduction

By February 1972, the North Vietnamese had positioned thirteen divisions for a spring offensive into the south. Timing this to coincide with the monsoon season severely restricted U.S. air power due to weather conditions, Friendly ground forces met for the first time with a North Vietnamese force equipped with many first-line Soviet weapons, including a number of new tanks, heavy artillery pieces, anti-aircraft missiles, and anti-tank missiles.

As increased evidence of an incipient North Vietnamese offensive was being gathered and as the Paris Peace Talks were stalemated, the United States broke off the negotiations on 23 March. By then, North Vietnam’s patient and practical leaders had for several years observed the steady decline in American strength in the South. Then, on Good Friday, 30 March, the Communists struck; launching a series of military drives collectively known as the “Easter Offensive”.

Mullinnix Ordered to Vietnam
On 8 April 1972, with Naval operations intensifying off the coast of Vietnam, the call was put out to four CRUDESLANT ships to deploy for extended operations to the Western Pacific. One of these units was the Norfolk based destroyer USS Mullinnix DD-944. For three days the officers and crew of the Mullinnix prepared the “Mighty Mux” for her third deployment to Vietnam in six years. It was an arduous three days not only for the men but also for their families as they too prepared for Mullinnix’s departure for an unknow period of time. But the zest and spirit of the response that was shown by the crew was to become the trademark of the “Mux” during her six-month deployment.


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The "orders" were cut on 8 April. I'll never forget: I had the duty. It was Saturday night and we were all in our (sleeping) compartment below MT52’s carrier room, watching TV on a rented TV that I’d rented at one of the clip-shops out on the strip. Us fire control guys and gunners’ mates shared the compartment with the radioman.

My good buddy, RM2 Neil “Jewels” Apple – yes, our Jewels was quite the jewel – was on call for any radio messages that might come in. Jewels gets called to the radio shack in the middle of one of our favorite TV shows to accept a message coming in. In the 70s there was no ‘pause’ so we said, “we’ll catch you up when you get back”.

30 minutes later Jewels comes back down to the apartment. Somebody pops of, “what’s going on, we going to Vietnam?”

We all laughed…focusing on the TV.

Jewels paused stoned face. “We’re leaving Monday morning.”

‘Cept for the TV noise, you could have heard a pin drop. Nobody spoke. What could you say?

Finally, someone said, “You asshole, you’re fucking with us.”

“No, I’m not. Things are blowing up in Vietnam. They need our guns.”

Silence…

“Fuck me”, somebody finally murmurs…

Yeah, fuck us...

Rumors started hitting the Norfolk papers on 10 April and again on 11 April.

Mullinnix didn’t manage to leave Monday, but she sailed 2 days later on Wednesday, 12 April.


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And so, on Wednesday, 12 April, with COMDESRON THIRTY-SIX embarked, Mullinnix departed Norfolk’s D&S Piers along with USS Biddle (DLG-34). The two ships were joined on 14 April by USS Glennon (DD-840) from Charleston, South Carolina and USS Sarsfield (DD-839) from Mayport, Florida for their anticipated role of Naval Gunfire Support of the coast of Vietnam.

The OTC of the Transit Group was Captain T. Hughes, Commander Destroyer Squadron 32, embarked in Mullinnix. The group transited the Panama Canal on 16 April, and began the Pacific crossing after a fuel stop at the U.S. Naval Station, Rodman, Canal Zone that same day. It wasn’t an easy cruise with brief stops in Pearl Harbor, Midway, Guam, and Subic Bay, Philippines before the ships parted their ways and began their first line period off the coast of Vietnam.

On 26 April the Transit Group stopped overnight in Pearl Harbor for fuel and supplies at the Pacific Missile Range Facility, Hawaii. The group was off Midway Island on 29 April. The group proceeded via Guam, for fuel stop on 7 May, and arrived Subic Bay, Philippines on 11 May.

During the transit the crew began to hear a sound they would hear 14,472 times in the coming months as the Gunners Mates prepared “MUX’s” three 5”/54 mounts for their future role in Naval Gunfire Support operations.

This was part of President Nixon’s actions in response to the North Vietnamese Easter Offensive of 30 March. He ordered the mining of North Vietnamese ports. He also augmented the already considerable Naval forces in Vietnam with additional 5 aircraft carriers, 1 heavy cruiser (USS Newport News), 4 cruisers, and 44 destroyers. Mullinnix arrived off the coast with one twin-barrel 3-inch/50-caliber gun and three modern single-barrel 5-inch/54-caliber guns. She adopted the DOORS song, "Riders on the Storm", due to the fact the Mullinnix had to deal with several typhoons.

USS Biddle CG-34 1972 History (PDF)
NOTE: USS Biddle is believed to be last ship to down an enemy plane with hand-loaded guns (5"/54 & 3"/50)

Go to 10 April "Rumors"

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Back to 1972 Vietnam Gunline - Page 1
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