USS MULLINNIX DD-944

       Major Battles - Vietnam 1972
                            Easter Offensive & Battles That
Directly / Indirectly Are Part of Mullinnix History
(Scroll Down to Links)

Dates from National Archives state Mullinnix Received Enemy Fire 3 Times in 1972
Deck logs confirmed all 3 dates PLUS "overhead explosion' on 23 May 1972


Damage Done by Mullinnix (a Navy Tradition)
Courtesy Dennis Wenske

On 30 March 1972, regular units of the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) initiated a large scale offensive against fire support bases (FSBs) along the demilitarized zone (DMZ) in northern Quang Tri Province of Military Region One (MR I). As the enemy opened major drives into Kontum Province of MR II and Binh Long Province of MR III, it became clear that the initial attacks were part of a large-scale invasion. For the first time in the Vietnamese conflict, the NVA used a conventional military strategy, employing combined infantry, artillery, and armor tactics. The overall scope and intensity of the aggression surprised most official sources. In addition to the usual NVA/VC guerrilla hit and run assaults, ambushes, acts of harassment, sabotage, propaganda, and terrorism, the NVA added conventional tactics, weapons, and equipment.

American participation in the Vietnam War was winding down. Vietnamization - putting the South Vietnamese in charge of their own defense - was the order of the day. In the northern provinces of South Vietnam's Military Region I a small cadre of American Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps advisors were standing by their Vietnamese counterparts in the face of this all-out, multiple divion NVA attack of unimaginable ferocity - the Easter Offensive of 1972.



The seriousness of the situation was fully recognized by the United States and South Vietnam, and both acted to meet the challenge. All concerned realized that the major attacks in South Vietnam were a crucial test of Vietnamization and that everything possible must be done to successfully counter the NVA offensive. The South Vietnamese Joint General Staff (JGS) quickly deployed General Reserve Forces to reinforce the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) infantry divisions in high threat areas. The U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) authorized the employ- ment of Seventh Air Force (7AF) air assets and U.S. Naval gunfire (NGF) against enemy positions.

he map on the left is an 'image map' that will allow you to find additional information on the major battles of 1972 and their relationship with the Mullinnix during her 1972 campagin in Southeast Asia. As you 'float' your mouse over the map your curser should change (probably into a hand) when it passes over the cities of (North to South) Dong Hoi, Quang Tri City, Hue, Loc Ninh, and An Loc.

During late March, there were only two destroyers, USS Straus DDG-18 and USS Buchanan DDG-14 on the naval gunline off Military Region I. When the offensive broke, all additional naval gunfire ships in the vicinity were dispatched to the area on an emergency bass. Whtin hours of their arrival they began the mission of supporting the beleaguered ARVN and VNMC defenders.

During the month of June 38 destroyers and three cruisers served in the gun line for varying periods of time. The number of runds fired by naval guns in Military Region I increased from 3,000 in March to well over 80,000 in June. The number of ship-days on station for March wsa 92 and for June was 533.



The arrival in May of the heavy ruiser USS Newport News with her eight inch guns greatly increased the range and weight of metal per salvo of the gunline. Spotting for the naval gunfire was provided by the First Air and Naval Gunfire Liaison Company (1st ANGLICO), a joint Navy-Marine orgnaization utilizing trained personnel to provide spotting, both from the ground and through the use of airborne spotters.

Enemy counterbattery fire resulted in several US ships sustaining minor damage and personnel casualties.



The Battle of Loc Ninh (3 Apr - 7 Apr)

The Siege of An Loc (7 Apr - 18 June)

Battle of Dong Hoi (19-20 April 1972)

Fall of Quang Tri City (3 Apr - 4 May)

Operation Song Than 6-72 (24 May 1972)

The Defense of Hue (12 May - 29 May)

Quang Tri City Regained (27 June - 16 Sept)

Qui Nhon (21 Aug - 13 Sept)

Mullinnix Fire Missions 1972 (PDF)



he Mullinnix fired 14,472 rounds in the following kinds of mission:

- Direct combat actions against the enemy

- Amphibious landings

- Call-for-fire support of ground troops

- Nightly harassment and interdiction fire

- Coastal surveillance






MM3 Jerry Brinkley (in the middle) and buddies Watching the War go by...



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