USS Fulton AS 11 – History of the U.S. Navy's Submarine Tender & Navy Decals

USS Fulton AS 11 – History, Service Record & Navy Decals

The USS Fulton (AS-11) was the lead ship of the Fulton-class submarine tenders — one of the most specialized and essential vessels in the United States Navy, a floating base, repair facility, and supply ship dedicated entirely to the care and maintenance of the submarine force. Named for Robert Fulton — the great American inventor and engineer who in 1807 launched the North River Steamboat (popularly known as the Clermont), the first commercially successful steamboat in history, revolutionizing transportation and commerce on America’s rivers and foreshadowing the age of steam that would transform both civilian and naval power. But Robert Fulton’s connection to submarines runs even deeper — he was also the inventor of the Nautilus, one of the world’s first practical submarines, which he demonstrated to Napoleon Bonaparte in 1800. USS Fulton could not have been more perfectly named: the man who invented both the steamboat and an early submarine gave his name to the ship that would tend America’s submarine fleet for four decades of World War II and Cold War service.

Keel, Launch & Commissioning

Fulton’s keel was laid down on July 18, 1939, at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo, California. She was launched on December 27, 1940, and commissioned into the U.S. Navy on September 12, 1941 — just months before the attack on Pearl Harbor would bring the United States into World War II, under hull designation AS-11.

Class & Design

USS Fulton was the name ship of the Fulton class of submarine tenders (AS) — large, highly capable floating bases designed to provide comprehensive maintenance, repair, supply, and support services to submarine squadrons operating far from shore-based facilities. At approximately 529 feet in length and displacing approximately 18,000 tons fully loaded, she carried crews of skilled machinists, electricians, torpedomen, electronics technicians, and other submarine specialists equipped with machine shops, torpedo workshops, battery shops, periscope repair facilities, and every other technical capability needed to maintain and repair a submarine force.

A submarine tender’s role was unique in the Navy — by providing comprehensive basing, repair, and supply services at a forward anchorage, a tender allowed submarines to operate continuously from an advance base without requiring the long transit back to a shore-based submarine base between patrols. This capability was of extraordinary operational value in wartime, allowing submarines to spend more time on patrol and less time in transit, dramatically multiplying the effective striking power of the submarine force.

World War II Service

USS Fulton served throughout World War II as one of the Navy’s most critical submarine support assets in the Pacific. She supported the Pacific submarine force from advance bases across the Pacific as American submarines conducted one of the most strategically decisive campaigns of the entire war — the submarine war against Japanese shipping that strangled Japan’s economy, cut off its raw material imports, and contributed decisively to Japan’s defeat.

American submarines sank more than 1,300 Japanese merchant ships during World War II — destroying Japan’s ability to import the oil, rubber, iron, and other raw materials its war economy depended on — and USS Fulton was part of the logistical foundation that made those patrols possible. By providing repair, rearming, and resupply services at forward bases rather than requiring submarines to return to Pearl Harbor between patrols, Fulton and her sister tenders multiplied the time submarines spent in their patrol areas and maximized the devastating effectiveness of the Pacific submarine campaign.

Cold War Service

Following World War II, USS Fulton continued her career as a submarine tender for the Atlantic Fleet through the Cold War. Homeported at New London, Connecticut — the home of the U.S. Navy’s Submarine School and the center of American submarine operations on the East Coast — she provided comprehensive basing, maintenance, and support services to Atlantic Fleet submarines as the Navy transitioned from the World War II diesel-electric submarine force to the nuclear-powered submarine fleet that became the cornerstone of American Cold War deterrence.

Her support for the transition to nuclear-powered submarines — providing the maintenance infrastructure and technical support that the new and enormously complex nuclear boats required — made Fulton a critical asset during one of the most consequential transformations in naval history.

Decommissioning

USS Fulton was decommissioned on April 15, 1991, after nearly 50 years of commissioned service — one of the longest careers of any ship in U.S. Navy history. Her half-century of service spanned from the eve of American entry into World War II through the Cold War’s triumphant conclusion, making her one of the most historically significant vessels in the history of American naval power.

Legacy

For the sailors and submarine specialists who served aboard Fulton — the machinists, torpedomen, electronics technicians, and submarine maintenance professionals who kept the Pacific and Atlantic submarine forces battle-ready from Pearl Harbor through the Cold War’s end across nearly 50 years of continuous service — she represents a career of extraordinary technical dedication and essential service. Named for the man who invented both the steamboat and an early submarine, USS Fulton spent nearly half a century tending the submarines that protected America — a fitting legacy for a ship that bore Robert Fulton’s name.

Shop USS Fulton AS 11 Navy Gifts & Decals

Honor your service or give a meaningful gift to a USS Fulton veteran with our full line of USS Fulton AS 11 products:

• USS Fulton AS 11 Aluminum License Plate — Show your Navy pride on the road.
• USS Fulton AS 11 Vinyl Decal Oval U.S. Flag — Perfect for cars, trucks, and RVs.
• USS Fulton AS 11 Vinyl Window Decal Two Color — A bold, two-color decal for any vehicle.
• USS Fulton AS 11 Vinyl Window Decal Single Color — A clean, classic decal for any vehicle.
• USS Fulton AS 11 License Plate Frame (Metal or Plastic) — Pair with your license plate for a complete look.
• USS Fulton AS 11 License Plate Frame All-State Metal — Heavy-duty metal frame built to last.
• USS Fulton AS 11 Motorcycle License Plate Frame — For the veteran who rides.
• USS Fulton AS 11 Aluminum Street Sign Blue/White — A one-of-a-kind display piece for any veteran’s home.
• USS Fulton AS 11 Parking Sign Blue/White — Reserve your spot in style.
• USS Fulton AS 11 Parking Sign Red/White — Another great option for the garage or driveway.

All products ship from the USA. Custom options available — contact us for details.