Reassigned as tender for the Submarine Base at Coco Solo, Canal Zone, Fulton arrived there on 4 April 1923, and during the following year joined in exercises on both sides of the Panama Canal Zone as well as making a survey of Almirante Bay, Panama. She took part in maneuvers and war games, served as station ship at New London, and in the summer of 1922 was flagship of Commander, Atlantic Submarine Flotillas. Through 1922, this was to be her principal base for operations with submarines along the east coast and in the Caribbean from Cape Cod to Cuba.

Submarine tender ĭuring her first six months of service, Fulton tended submarines at Norfolk, Charleston, New York, and Newport, then after overhaul, arrived at New London on 2 November 1915, where in 1918 she was the base ship for the newly formed Submarine School. Fulton was commissioned on 7 December 1914. Sutcliffe, great granddaughter of Robert Fulton, for whom the ship is named. Fulton was launched on 6 June 1914 by New London Ship and Engine Company, Groton, Connecticut. USS Fulton (AS-1) was constructed as a submarine tender in 1914, but later was converted into a gunboat and redesignated PG-49.įulton should not be confused with USS Fulton (SP-247), a patrol vessel that operated from 1917 to 1919 while Fulton (AS-1) was in commission.įulton was originally planned to be named Niagara, 30 April 1912 and was renamed Fulton, 10 February 1913. Robert Fulton (1765–1815), American inventor and engineer widely credited with developing the first commercially successful steamboatġ × 6-cylinder, 2-cycle, NELSECO diesel engineĢ × 3 in (76 mm)/50 cal guns, 1 × 1-pounder automatic anti-aircraft gun

As x submarine tender