USS MULLINNIX DD-944
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Key West, Florida 1962
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Excerpt from "The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944"
A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood
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.
Fantasy Fest - a weeklong celebration of weirdness. A weeklong celebration that included balls, parades, costume competitions, body painting, drag queen contests, costume parties, and alcohol - lots of alcohol.
The crew participated in Goombay - a two-day street party held in the Bahama Village neighborhood, named after the goatskin drums that generate the party's rhythms and celebrates the heritage of Key West's large Bahamian population with food, art and a lot of dancing, and lots and lots of alcohol. In addition, they witnessed The Royal Coronation Ball - where the Conch King and Queen are crowned, the annual Headdress Ball, Pretenders in Paradise - the annual costume contest, The Masquerade March - a daytime procession through the streets of Key West, and finally, the Fantasy Fest parade - the culmination of the festival.
The streets were full of drunks, bums, thieves, and wine heads staggering in front of floating brothels and a transvestite floor show. Duval street was busy with people - fruit sellers, newspaper boys, shoe shines, a man with a wheel sharpening knifes, and a horn player. The crew made the rounds of the hotels, and bars and nightclubs, hookers and dopers, numbers runners and bookies.
Morning came, dragging Common Law with it. Common Law, so-named due to the fact he was twenty-four years old, and had been living with his teenage girlfriend for 5 years going on for ever together. It was noon before he opened his eyes, and another hour at least before he slid out of the bed. His head felt cracked, pierced by knitting needles, and he was dizzy. His first cigarette didn't help. His first beer did. He would have chased that with a whiskey, but there wasn't any. He chased it instead with a 2nd beer, and a 2nd smoke. The pain began to subside.
Mullinnix departed Key West in the early morning light of 4 October, MM2 “Jake” Scopel returned to the ship aboard YTB 338 having been AWOL since 0530. Close call Jakester!
At 0825 USS Threadfin SS-410 reported fire in her engine room. Mullinnix headed to assist at flank speed but by 0834, Threadfin reported fire was under control. Later, with the aid of Threadfin, Mullinnix performed calibration tests on her sonar, search, and fire control radars.
5 October was witness to Mullinnix preparing for what was coded as "Run 1 Test 1". Five miles off her beam, Threadfin was submerged at 90 feet on course 270 at 3 knots. At 0808 Mullinnix commenced run using one HSS-1 helicopter for attack runs controlled by Mullinnix and with TRB 57 as buoy retrieving boat. The next 'test' had Threadfin diving to 250 feet while Mullinnix, TRB 57, and helicopter competed several more attack runs.
By days end, the HSS-1 had landed and launched a number of times from Mullinnix' main deck, aft of MT 53. Mullinnix returned to Key West at 1342 on 6 October.
Common Law was tall. When seated he seemed to uncoil himself from his chair and recoil when he sat. With his goatee beard, unkempt grey hair and fierce gray eyes gave him the appearance of an old testament prophet. His hair was something forgotten about, like his uniform. He came from a town so small you could throw a rock from end to end.
She left Key West on 9 October to continue sonar tests and evaluations. After several more days of training, she returned to Key West once again on 12 October, then leaving again on 16 October for a short time, returning later in the day, moored as before. The ship left Key West again on 19 October in accordance with COMOPTENFOR OPORD D/S 147-0-1 for submarine operating area.
To be continued...
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