USS HOUSTON CA 30

“The galloping Ghost of the Java Coast”

Robert B. Fulton

Born in Burlington, VT, he grew up in Washington, DC,, attending the public schools there, He then entered the US Naval Academy and upon graduation in 1932 received a commission as an Ensign. During the early years of his career he served on the cruisers USS Raleigh and USS Indianapolis , on the destroyer USS Dickerson and on other ships

In 1936 he married Frances McCarley of Charleston, SC. They had two children, Larry and Frances Anne.

In 1938 he began a graduate course in naval engineering and in 1941 received an MS degree in that field from MIT

He was then ordered to the Asiatic Fleet to report to USS Houston. He served on that ship through the early months of WWII. When Houston was sunk in the early hours of 1 March 1942 he managed to swim ashore to the island of Java. That afternoon he was captured by a Japanese army unit. Hr was forced to work on their landing beaches unloading supplies; and then was marched to the town of Serang to be imprisoned first in a movie theater and then in the local jail.

In April, 1942 He became part of a group of 8 Houston officers who were taken to Japan to an interrogation camp there. Then in September he was moved to the POW camp in the town of Zentsuji. From there, in June 1945, he was moved to a remote camp site, termed Rokuroshi ,in the mountains of Honshu. It was here that units of the American First Cavalry came to recover him at the end of the war. After the war he returned to active duty in the Navy. He was designated for engineering duty and served in that capacity in various naval stations, including the Norfolk and Boston Naval Shipyards, the Navy Department in Washington, and as Supervisor of Shipbuilding in New York.

In 1957 he joined the staff of the Commander in Chief, US Atlantic Fleet as Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics.

Then in 1959 he assumed command of the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard where he directed the work of that industrial facility in the building and repair of naval ships. While stationed here he was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral.

His next and final tour of duty was in the Naval Ships Systems Command in Washington, DC where he directed all ship engineering activities (except nuclear) throughout the Navy. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for his work here.

After retiring from active duty in 1968 he came to Memphis TN to participate in the startup of the State Technical Institute, an institution offering 2 year college level programs. He headed a division offering degrees in seven engineering disciplines. These engineering technology programs all received professional accreditation and have attracted widespread interest from corporate employers. After retiring from that position he has remained active in community affairs in Memphis. He is an elder in the Presbyterian Church and serves on the Boards of charitable and civic organizations.