{{short description|United States Navy admiral}} {{Use American English|date=May 2026}} {{Infobox military person | name = Henry Maston Mullinnix | image = Henry M Mullinnix.jpg | caption = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1892|7|4}} | death_date = {{Death date and age|1943|11|24|1892|7|4}} | burial_label = Place of burial | burial_place = | birth_place = [[Spencer, Indiana]] | death_place = off [[Makin (islands)|Makin Island]] | burial_coordinates = <!-- {{Coord|LAT|LONG|display=inline,title}} --> | nickname = | allegiance = [[United States of America]] | branch = [[File:United States Department of the Navy Seal.svg|25px]] [[United States Navy]] | service_years = 1916&ndash;1943 | rank = [[File:USN-USMC O8 insignia.svg|USN-USMC O8 insignia|25px]] [[Rear admiral (United States)|Rear Admiral]] | unit = | commands = {{USS|Albemarle|AV-5|6}}<br/>{{USS|Saratoga|CV-3|6}}<br/>Carrier Division 24<br/>Task Group 52.3 | battles = [[World War I]]<br/>[[World War II]] * [[Battle of Makin]]{{KIA}} | awards = [[Legion of Merit]] w/ [["V" device|Combat "V"]] <br /> [[Commendation Medal|Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal]]<br/>[[Purple Heart]] <br /> [[Combat Action Ribbon]] | relations = | other_work = }} '''Henry Maston Mullinnix''' (July 4, 1892 &ndash; November 24, 1943) was a [[United States Navy]] [[aviator]] and [[Admiral (United States)|admiral]] who served in [[World War I]] and World War II. Mullinnix was killed in action while commanding a Navy escort carrier division and task force group when his flagship, the escort carrier [[USS Liscome Bay (CVE-56)|USS ''Liscome Bay'' (CVE-56)]], was sunk by a Japanese submarine near the [[Gilbert Islands]] during [[World War II]]. He was the fourth of five US Navy admirals [[List of U.S. general officers and flag officers killed in World War II|killed in battle during WWII]], including: [[Isaac C. Kidd]] (1941, [[Attack on Pearl Harbor]]); [[Norman Scott (admiral)|Norman Scott]] and [[Daniel J. Callaghan]] (same day, 1942, [[Naval Battle of Guadalcanal]]); and [[Theodore E. Chandler]] (1945, [[invasion of Lingayen Gulf]]).

==Biography== Mullinnix was born in [[Spencer, Indiana]] in 1892. He was president of his senior class at [[Attica, Indiana|Attica]] High School where his father was a Principal, graduating in 1909. He graduated first in his class from the [[United States Naval Academy]] in 1916.<ref name="uss-liscome-bay">[http://www.historynet.com/uss-liscome-bay-hit-by-a-torpedo-near-makin-atoll-during-world-war-ii.htm USS Liscome Bay: Hit By a Torpedo Near Makin Atoll During World War II]</ref> He served in the destroyer {{USS|Balch|DD-50|3}}, engaged in patrol and escort duty off [[Ireland]] during [[World War I]]. Following service in {{USS|Gridley|DD-92|3}} and {{USS|Brooks|DD-232|3}}, he completed work in [[aeronautical engineering]] at Annapolis and [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology|MIT]], receiving an M.S. degree in 1923. After flight training at [[Naval Air Station Pensacola]], [[Florida]], he was designated a [[United States Naval Aviator|naval aviator]] on January 11, 1924. He was one of those mainly responsible for developing the [[air-cooled engine]] for naval aircraft. Besides various shore duty, he served in {{USS|Saratoga|CV-3|3}}, {{USS|Wright|AV-1|3}}, and commanded {{USS|Albemarle|AV-5|3}}, between 1924 and 1941. On November 13, 1942, he was promoted to [[Rear admiral (United States)|rear admiral]].

Mullinnix commanded ''Saratoga'' from April 1943, until August 22, when he was transferred to duty with a carrier division. On November 24, Rear Admiral Mullinnix was on board his flagship {{USS|Liscome Bay|CVE-56|3}} (under the command of Captain [[Irving Wiltsie]]) commanding Carrier Division 24 and Task Group 52.3 (Air Support Group of Northern Attack Force (Makin)-Task Group 52) when the escort carrier/flagship which had just participated in the [[Battle of Makin]] was [[torpedo]]ed by a Japanese submarine and sunk off [[Butaritari|Makin Island]], in the [[Gilbert Islands naval order of battle|Gilbert Islands]].<ref name="uss-liscome-bay"/> Declared dead a year later, he was posthumously awarded the [[Legion of Merit]]:

<blockquote>For exceptional meritorious conduct...as Commander of a Carrier Air Support Group prior to and during the amphibious invasion of Japanese-held Makin Atoll, Gilbert Islands from November 1 to 24, 1943. Displaying outstanding initiative and superior executive ability, Rear Admiral Mullinnix skillfully conducted anti-submarine and air combat patrols supporting our landing operations on this strongly defended island and, through his brilliant leadership, enabled escort carriers to carry out a well coordinated, aggressive attack against the enemy. Rear Admiral Mullinnix's tireless efforts, meticulous attention to detail and loyal devotion to the accomplishment of an extremely difficult and hazardous mission contributed materially to our subsequent capture of this strategic area.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/research-guides/modern-biographical-files-ndl/modern-bios-m/mullinnix-henry-maston.html |title=Henry Maston Mullinnix |website=Naval History and Heritage Command |date=March 20, 2019 |access-date=February 8, 2021}}</ref></blockquote>

==Namesake== In 1957, the [[destroyer]] {{USS|Mullinnix|DD-944}} was named in his honor.

==References== {{Reflist}} * {{DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/m15/mullinnix.htm}}

==External links== *{{Find a Grave|20549502|accessdate=2009-05-18}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mullinnix, Henry}} [[Category:1892 births]] [[Category:1943 deaths]] [[Category:People from Spencer, Indiana]] [[Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit]] [[Category:United States Navy rear admirals]] [[Category:United States Naval Academy alumni]] [[Category:United States Navy World War II admirals]] [[Category:United States Navy personnel of World War I]] [[Category:United States Navy personnel killed in World War II]] [[Category:People from Attica, Indiana]] [[Category:Military personnel from Indiana]] [[Category:MIT School of Engineering alumni]]