United States Navy

Submarine Tenders

USS Fulton AS 11

She was at Midway until 17 October; and at Brisbane from 9 November. There she established a submarine base and rest camp, and in addition to refitting submarines between their war patrols, acted as tender to other types of ships. FULTON also played an important role as support tender for submarines engaged in experiments and tests of sonar mine detection devices which enabled American submarines to successfully penetrate the minefields guarding the Inland Sea of Japan

Milne Bay, New Guinea, was her station from 29 October 1943 until 17 March 1944, when she sailed for a west coast overhaul. Returning to Pearl Harbor 13 June 1944, Fulton gave her tender services to submarines there for a month, then at Midway between 18 July and 8 September, and then at Saipan until 25 April 1945. Fulton returned to duty at Pearl Harbor from 7 May to 9 June, and then sailed for Guam, where she refitted submarines for the last patrols of the war.

After a west coast overhaul, Fulton served as tender at Pearl Harbor from February through May 1946, then sailed for Bikini to participate in Operation "Crossroads," atomic weapons tests in the Marshalls that summer. In addition to caring for the six sub marines assigned to the project, she acted as repair ship for other vessels in the task force. On 18 September 1946 Fulton arrived at Mare Island, where she was decommissioned and placed in reserve 3 April Her Wartime service record tallied 332 vessels repaired and serviced.

Recommissioned 10 April 1951, Fulton sailed 3 weeks later for New London, her base through 1963. Fulton's brood now included the Sea Wolf,the Skate, and the Nautilus - making Fulton the first Tender to support Nulaa Fast Attack Subs. Although her primary assignment was as tender for Submarine Squadron 10 at New. London, Fulton on occasion relieved the tender Orion (AS-18), stationed at Norfolk, and also left New London for exercises from Newfoundland and Iceland to the Caribbean. She first crossed the Atlantic in the fall of 1957 for Operation "Natoflex," visiting Rothesay, Scotland, and Port land, England, before returning to New London. A heightening of her responsibility came 1 April 1958, when three nuclear submarines were assigned to her squadron.

In August, Fulton sailed to New York for the celebration of the arrival of Nautilus (SSN-571) from her historic submerged passage under the North Pole. Fulton received one battle star for World War II service.

USS Fulton Ship's Plaque

After a shipyard overhaul in 1976, Fulton returned to New London to continue support of Atlantic Fleet submarines.

Fulton was again modernized in 1983-1984 with an extensive overhaul at both Electric Boat, Groton, CT, and General Dynamics, Quincy, MA. Just before departing Quincy, a problem in the after propulsion switchboard resulted in a fire that did extensive damage to the wiring and switching gear. The damage was made considerably worse when the fire spread to the cork lagging on the bulkheads - which had soaked up much oil and been painted many times over the years. This spread the fire very fast, and to other equipment that otherwise would not have been involved. The crew responded quickly and extinguished the fire. The cause of the fire was never officially determined - however the circumstances suggested that there was some serious cause such as a short-circuit caused by mis-wiring or tools, etc. left in the switchgear - as the fire broke out immediately upon the switch panel being energized. Repairs were made at Fore River (Quincy) taking approximately three months. (this portion of history contributed by Thomas Peters (former) EN1, After engine room AS-11 1983-1987; and Paul Simerly LCDR USN, RET, Chief Engineer AS-11 1984 - 1987).

In late 1984, Fulton attended REFTRA (refresher training) at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Then on January 3 1985, Fulton got underway for LaMaddalena, Sardinia to relieve her sister tender (AS-18) Orion of her maintenance responsibility, to allow a pier-side SRA period for Orion's overhaul. During this underway period, she visited Barcelona and Palma Spain, and Bergen, Norway. Fulton returned to New London 10 May 1985. She was underway 128 days, and travelled over 11,000 miles without incident.