USS Fulton (AS-11)-- Part 5: From WW II to Nuclear and 3rd Oldest Commissioned Ship At One Time

In 1972, the Fulton made a 5 month deployment to the Mediterranean Sea with a mission to establish a full-time advance site for repairs for nuclear powered fast attack submarines.  This was quite an accomplishment since the Fulton was still a World War II-era ship.

In 1976, she returned to New London and was modernized 1983-1984.  She was at many stations after that until decommissioned in 1991.

In 1988, Submarine Squadron 10 (SubRon10) consisted of the Fulton, the flagship, and submarines Jack, Tinosa, Dace, Whale, Greenling, Gato, Pargo, Trepang, Billfish and torpedo retriever Labrador.

On 30 September 1991, SubRon 10 was disbanded and the Fulton decommissioned at her berth in New London, Connecticut.  At that time, she was the third oldest commissioned ship in the U.S. navy, exceeded only by the USS Constitution and the USS Vulcan (AR-5).  The Vulcan was decommissioned the same day.

The Fulton was sold in 1995 for scrap.

A Long-Serving Ship.  --GreGen

USS Chewink (AM-39)-- Part 2: World War II Operations

In October 1930, the Chewink sailed west and joined Submarine Division 4 at Pearl Harbor where it served as a submarine tender.    It was decommissioned at Pearl Harbor in 1933 and then sent to Mare Island in San Francisco Bay.

With war clouds on the horizon, it was recommissioned 12 November 1940 and sailed from San Diego to London, Connecticut, where the ship served for the rest of its career.

During the war, the Chewink trained Navy divers, did submarine search and rescue exercises, was station ship and was a target ship for submarine torpedoes.  It operate from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Argentina, Newfoundland and was in Key West several times.

Decommissioning came at Brooklyn 4 February 1947.  It was used as target practice and sunk off New London, Connecticut 31 July 1947.

--GreGen