Author Archives: Chris Funck

Lou Christiansen Jr., Commander USS Calvert Associates, January 2015

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Lou Christiansen, Commander of the USS Calvert Associates, passed away in January 2015. Lou served aboard the USS Calvert during ’65 and ’66. His obituary is available here.

Lou scoured the National Archives for records that would prove that the Calvert’s crew was exposed to Agent Orange during 1965 and 1966. His success in this research led to the addition of the Calvert to the VA’s “Brown Water.” Lou’s work opened the way for veterans aboard the Calvert in late ’65 and early ’66 to be eligible to apply for Agent Orange related illness benefits via the VA. Additional information is available here.

Louis H Christiansen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Later in his life Lou co-founded Drug Crisis in Our Backyard as described here and here.

 

2015 Reunion – Baltimore, MD – Sept 30th to Oct 3rd

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Tricia and I are happy to host the 2015 USS Calvert Associates reunion in Baltimore, Maryland this year.

Reunion Dates: Wednesday, Sept 30th – Saturday, Oct 3rd (depart Sunday, Oct 4th).

Hotel: Hilton Garden Inn – Baltimore / Arundel Mills, Maryland – Short distance from the BWI Airport – 7491 New Ridge Road, Hanover, MD 21076 | www.baltimorearundelmills.hgi.com | 410-878-7200 | Room rate of $129.00/night, plus tax. | Free shuttle to / from airport.

Registration forms (tours, meals, events, and hotel reservation information): 2015 Reunion Registration Forms (click link to download .pdf and print).

  • Reunion registration form and payment is due by July 30th, 2015
  • Hotel reservation cut-off (to receive discounted rate) is August 30th, 2015

Here is the calendar of events:

  • Wednesday, September 30th – Arrive
  • Thursday, October 1st
    • Bus trip to the US Naval Academy: Walking Historic Tour of the Academy
    • Lunch at the Academy (Boxed lunch)
    • Naval Academy Chapel – Memorial Service (Pending Chapel availability this day)
    • Meet and greet at the hotel with a deli sandwich dinner
  • Friday, October 2nd
    • Bus trip to the Calvert Marine Museum at Solomon’s Island
    • Bus tour of Solomon’s Island, the “Cradle of Invasion” and visit the “On Watch” monument. The Calvert participated in many amphibious training exercises and operations in the Chesapeake Bay and around the Solomon’s Island area from October 1942 through August of 1943.
    • Calvert Marine Museum: View their extensive collection of USS Calvert memorabilia provided by John Cole over the years. The museum staff will explain the cataloging and archival process for handling all the information that they have regarding the USS Calvert. They will also discuss their plans for installation of a permanent exhibit in 2016.
    • Visit Calvert County Library where a temporary exhibit of USS Calvert materials is on display for several months through late summer to late fall 2015. Meet with County representatives and library staff.
    • Dinner on your own.
  • Saturday, October 3rd
    • Bus trip to Baltimore Inner Harbor, tour of the Baltimore Aquarium and lunch/shopping opportunities.
    • Bus tour of the Sparrows Point Shipyard, where the USS Calvert’s keel was laid down and she was subsequently launched on May 22, 1942.
    • Memorial Service by the hotel pool (If the Naval Academy Chapel Memorial Service falls through due to unavailability on Thursday)
    • Banquet dinner at hotel
  • Sunday, October 4th – Depart

Also look for details in June 2015 edition of the Calversion.

Contact Chris Funck at usscalvertwebmaster@gmail.com with questions.

Captain Allen P. Mullinnix – Commanding Officer – Jan ’43 – Apr ’43

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Here’s the start of a page dedicated to Captain Allen Mullinnix.

The following information on Captain Mullinnix is quoted from The Indiana Magazine of History, “Hoosier Senior Naval Officers in WWII” by John B. Heffernan, 1955 (source):

“Rear Admiral Allen Prather Mullinnix was born in 1898, in Attica, attended New Albany High School and the Naval Academy, 1920, graduating 1919. He served on the staff of the commander of transports of the Atlantic Fleet and participated in the landings at Casablanca, Morocco, in November, 1942. He commanded the U.S.S. “Calvert” (APA-32), a troop transport, and then served in the Office of Naval Communications. In 1944 he assumed command of the U.S.S. “Pensacola” (CA-24). In this cruiser he participated in bombardments in the Kurile Islands, Wake Island, and in the assault and capture of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He retired in 1947.”

Captain Mullinnix’s Navy Cross commendation (source):

“The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Captain Allen Prather Mullinnix, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession as Commanding Officer of the Heavy Cruiser U.S.S. PENSACOLA (CA-24), in action against enemy Japanese forces off Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, on 17 February 1945. When a hostile heavy-caliber shore battery repeatedly hit his ship, causing extensive damage, fire and many casualties, Captain Mullinnix replied with vigorous, heavy and accurate counter-fire which silenced the enemy battery and, with cool courage, directed the rapid completion of emergency repairs, enabling the ship to remain on station and carry out its assigned mission. His aggressive fighting spirit and gallant devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.” General Orders: Commander Amphibious Forces: Serial 0397 (May 1945)

Rear Admiral Mullnnix’s grave at Arlington National Cemetery can be viewed here, along with a photograph of him in 1914. His obituary is available here.

Midshipman Mullinnix’s U.S. Naval Academy scrap book was listed on EBay in late January 2015, and here is his 1920 Lucky Bag Yearbook photograph and entry.

WWII-Era Song Sheets, Saipan Invasion

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The WII-era Calvert song sheets shown below are shared by Geoff, creator of http://1stbattalion24thmarines.com/

This tremendous site tells the story of the 1st Battalion, 24th Marines. The 1/24 was aboard the Calvert for the invasion of Saipan and Geoff provides insight into the action and fighting that the Marines experienced once they made if off the Calvert’s landing craft and onto the beach at Saipan. A full account of the Marines’ experience on Saipan is available here: http://1stbattalion24thmarines.com/the-battles/saipan/

USS Calvert - Saipan Songs 1 USS Calvert - Saipan Songs 2

 

Here’s the story behind these two song sheets, as shared by Geoff:

“This song sheet belonged to PFC George A. Smith (A/1/24), then a nineteen year old machine gunner, now a retired police captain. He must have carried it in his pocket into the battle of Saipan, where he (and it) survived being bowled over by a shell, a week of combat, and then being shot and evacuated to a hospital ship, never to return to combat. (Photographs of George are available here: (picture 1, picture 2, picture 3, picture 4, picture 5)

George also has a few good stories about life on the USS Calvert, but my favorite involves a craps game. Apparently some of the sailors were shooting dice, and George’s friend Corporal Thomas McCay decided to get in on the action. To hear George tell it, neither of the Marines really knew what they were doing, and the sailors thought they’d be an easy mark, but McCay pulled some real luck of the Irish and threw three sevens in a row. Needless to say, their popularity disappeared and George was only half kidding when he recalled they had to beat a retreat or be thrown overboard. Safely back in the Marine area, McCay started tossing handfuls of his winnings overboard. “The hell are you doing?” asked George, to which McCay replied “What are we going to do with it where we’re going?” So the two of them passed the afternoon throwing bits of loose change from the craps game into the Pacific. McCay was killed in action less than a week later.”

Additional pictures of George Smith’s time as a Marine, during both WWII and Korea, are available here: http://1stbattalion24thmarines.com/photo-galleries/weapons-platoon-photos/