Excerpt from "The Last Gun Ship - History of USS Mullinnix DD-944"
A Historical Novel By Frank A. Wood
Without Seaman O'Rourke and ETR3 Collier, and Wiz, Mullinnix was underway at 0754 for Naples, Italy on 1 July, mooring starboard side of USS Laffey at Angioino Pier at 1716. Surprising their mates, both Collier and O'Rourke returned to Mullinnix at 1750, having hitch a ride on the Laffey. None would admit if it was intentional or not, but many suspected they'd simply staggered onto the wrong ship after a hard night in Gaeta.
While in Naples, on 3 July 1961, Commander William H. Shaw USN, relieved Commander Hill as Commanding Officer, to become the ship's third skipper. She was once again underway on 5 July to rejoined the fleet. She was ordered from operations in the Western Mediterranean to La Spezia, Italy in accordance with CTF 60 OP-ORDER 55-61 on the midwatch of 10 July, mooring starboard side to USS D.H. Fox DD-779 and USS Shenandoah AD-26 at 0803.
