Admiral Robert B. Fulton was born in December 1910 in Burlington, Vermont and grew up in Washington, D.C. He went to the Naval Academy in 1928 and graduated in 1932. He served on several cruisers before returning to the Academy as a coach. He next served on a destroyer before attending the naval graduate school at MIT [Annotator's Note: Massachusetts Institute of Technology]. He received his master's degree in the summer of 1941 in marine engineering. He was then ordered to the Asiatic fleet. He voyaged from San Francisco to China and then Manila Bay to join the fleet. He was assigned as assistant engineering officer on the USS Houston (CA-30). The ship was in Tutu Bay in the southern Philippines. Fulton sailed on the USS Langley (CV-1), which was the first American aircraft carrier, to reach the Houston. Upon reaching the ship, Fulton set about learning his new tasks. The engineering department on the ship numbered about 300 and was responsible for running the ship's machinery and electrical network. Fulton was assistant to the Chief Engineer. There were four divisions in the department. Basic duty for the department was to keep the ship operating optimally. The Houston was a special ship because of the crew's dedication and skill. It was a leap for Fulton to go from being Chief Engineer on a destroyer to the much larger and complex cruiser Houston. The commanding officer on the ship, Captain Jesse Oldendorf, was replaced by Captain Rooks who turned out to be as fine an officer as his predecessor. [Annotator's Note: Captain Albert H. Rooks was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions prior to the sinking of the Houston by the Japanese.] The crew knew war was on the horizon and Japan would hit them first. The ship returned to Cavite for quick repairs limited to completion within 24 hours. On 28 November, the ship went to the port of Iloilo. Operations continued into early December. On 8 December, general quarters was sounded announcing that the Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbor.

Robert Fulton and the crew of the USS Houston (CA-30) spent the first day after the Pearl Harbor attack preparing for the inevitable. They readied the ship for potential attack from air or sea. They received Admiral Glassford [Annotator's Note: US Navy Rear Admiral William A. Glassford], who had commanded the Yangtze River Patrol, which had been drawn back to the Philippines when war became imminent. The Houston had barely gotten underway when the Japanese began bombing their former port. Japanese ships were identified while Houston was underway, but the order was to avoid them. The Houston could have handled the opposition easily but pulled away. The cruiser ran convoy duty to and from the Philippines and Australia. Numerous Japanese air attacks occurred. The only American aircraft available was a squadron of flying boats, Coronado PBYs [Annotator's Note: Consolidated PB2Y Coronado flying boat]. The PBYs suffered heavy losses when used on bombing missions. The Houston had four scouting planes aboard. The Japanese had total air superiority. On 4 February 1942, Houston was hit by about 50 Japanese heavy bombers. After surviving multiple waves of bombers through Captain Rooks' skillful maneuvering [Annotator's Note: US Navy Captain Albert H. Rooks was the commanding officer of the USS Houston (CA-30)], one bomb hit the ship and knocked out the number 3 turret and most of the aft end of the ship with its repair party. The ship made port in Java to bury its dead. Following a brief stay in Java, the Houston went to Australia and attempted to provide reinforcing troops to Timor. Enemy aircraft prevented that from happening. The day after the Houston left Darwin, the Japanese heavily bombed the city and its docks and ships. After a stop in southern Java, the American cruiser sailed to Batavia which is now Jakarta on the north shore of the island. The Houston was ordered to form up with a group of American, British, Dutch and Australian ships.

Robert Fulton and the USS Houston (CA-30) joined other American, British, Dutch and Australian [Annotator's Note: also referred to by the acronym ABDA] ships to hastily form an Asiatic Fleet. The ships had never trained together and were ill-suited to face a well organized Japanese fleet. There were two other American cruisers besides Houston and four divisions of old four stack destroyers as well as 25 to 30 submarines cobbled together with auxiliaries to join other Allied warships. The fleet was formed up at Batavia. Admiral Hart [Annotator's Note: US Navy Admiral Thomas C. Hart] had been relieved on orders from President Roosevelt [Annotator's Note: President Franklin D. Roosevelt] after pressure from the Dutch to assume management of the defense of their East Indies. That was a big blow for the Houston because Hart had great respect. The Dutch commander was Admiral Helfrich [Annotator's Note: Royal Netherlands Navy Lieutenant Admiral Conrad Emil Lambert Helfrich] who had grown up in Java and was determined to defend it even though the Dutch and Indonesian Army on the island were nearly worthless. The land forces surrendered to the Japanese a short time after being invaded. The Asiatic Fleet could not protect anything at that point. In addition to the three American cruisers, the HMS Exeter and HMAS Perth and two Dutch cruisers were in the Allied fleet. Seeing the Exeter charge ahead during the fight, the Houston's crew had their morale heightened. Admiral Dorman [Annotator’s Note: Royal Netherlands Navy Rear Admiral Karel Willem Frederik Marie Doorman] commanded the five cruisers and the fleet in the battle line. The Dutch commander had received the order to fight the fleet to its destruction.

Robert Fulton and the USS Houston (CA-30) sailed in search of the Japanese fleet for a few days before discovering the enemy on 27 February 1942. The British cruiser HMS Exeter was seriously injured and had to withdraw. As Houston proceeded in the dark of night, the two Dutch cruisers were destroyed leaving only the HMAS Perth and Houston to face the Japanese. Captain Rooks [Annotator's Note: US Navy Captain Albert H. Rooks commanded the USS Houston (CA-30)] took control of what was left of the ABDA fleet [Annotator's Note: American-British-Dutch-Australian fleet]. The remnants returned to Batavia where Fulton went ashore searching for fuel oil. The Dutch resisted until finally releasing sufficient fuel to Houston for half a load. The Dutch were not very cooperative in the defense of the East Indies. Admiral Helfrich [Annotator's Note: Royal Netherlands Navy Lieutenant Admiral Conrad Emil Lambert Helfrich commanded the ABDA fleet] particularly mismanaged the few Allied assets available to him. He was responsible for needless losses of ships and deaths of American Navy personnel. The Houston got underway for the southern coast of Java on 28 February with the crew not knowing their next objective.

Robert Fulton and the USS Houston (CA-30) and the HMAS Perth ran into a Japanese landing force late on the night of 28 February 1942. The opposing ships exchanged fire. British air reconnaissance had not indicated any enemy shipping in the area so Captain Rooks [Annotator's Note: US Navy Captain Albert H. Rooks, commander of the USS Houston (CA-30)] had set the ship to a lower stage of readiness. Only half the guns were manned to allow the exhausted crew to get some needed rest. General quarters was sounded as the enemy ships were found to be everywhere. Torpedoes were fired at the Allied ships. Those that missed hit Japanese ships on the opposite side of their targets. The Perth was destroyed and the Houston followed shortly thereafter. The Houston's aft engine room took a torpedo destroying everything. The engine order telegraph communication from the aft engine room was severely disrupted causing ship command to assume total loss of power. A hasty order to abandon ship was given. Command did not realize that Fulton, in the forward engine room, still had half the propulsion plant still operative. Fulton did not believe the order to abandon ship after receiving communication by telephone. His engine room was running well at the time so he requested confirmation of the order. Having obtained it, Fulton went about shutting down his space and the ship immediately began to slow down. Fulton's engineering crew assembled on deck where their designated life raft was stored, but it had been previously launched. At that stage, Fulton dismissed his men and told them to save themselves. That saved some lives. The weather was clear and mountains could be seen in the distance. The constant current around Java resulted in those in lifeboats and rafts being sent into the Indian Ocean without a chance of rescue. Of the complement of 1066 aboard Houston, only 320 were picked up by the Japanese. The rest were never recovered. Captain Rooks was killed on the ship with perhaps 100 to 150 more. Fulton paddled his way to shore toward the mountains and managed to reach the island of Java.

Robert Fulton and eight survivors of the USS Houston (CA-30) swam to Java after they abandoned ship and were captured by a Japanese patrol. The enemy officer had gone to school in California so he spoke a little English. He chided the Americans on their beliefs and ways of life. When the officer did not share food evenly with the Americans, they had a projection of things to come. After walking several miles, the group was allowed to sleep. The next day, the captives were made to unload boats. Afterward, Fulton and an obese Dutch Army officer were made to pull an ammunition cart. Bridges were bombed out so waterways had to be forded the difficult way. The POWs [Annotator's Note: prisoners of war] had cut up and bleeding feet as a result. Fulton was so dehydrated that he was given permission by his Japanese guard to drink from a polluted rice paddy. Somehow, he managed to get away with it. The obese Dutchman could not physically hold up to pulling the cart. The Japanese soldier was so disgusted with his enemy that he took his place pulling the cart. The group reached the town of Sarang where they were placed in an old movie theater. The place was full of sick and injured prisoners. The smell and suffering were terrible. The only food was a piece of bread in the evening. The Japanese trained machine guns on the POWs. The captives remained there for about a week before being moved to the Sarang jail which was somewhat better even though it was twice over its capacity. POWs slept on concrete in tight quarters. The men had a nice Easter service there but there was a problem with the food. The Muslim prisoners would not eat food prepared by non-Muslims. Ships cooks were withdrawn due to Muslim complaints. In early April, the men were gathered in a courtyard and some were told to prepare to leave. Fulton and several others were trucked to Batavia and boarded a Japanese ship and sailed to the Japanese island of Honshu. They had to bypass Manila Bay because Corregidor had not yet surrendered. They had plenty of food and a comfortable voyage for about six weeks because they were the only passengers on the ship returning to Japan.

Robert Fulton had been brought to Japan to be interrogated by the Japanese Navy general staff in a camp called Ōfuna. He stayed in solitary confinement for 114 days before being asked the first question. Treatment was harsh and food was scarce. Commands from the Japanese were given only in their language. The Americans had to learn the foreign language to survive. They were chided for their customs and ways of life. It was a terrible life at Ōfuna. Many of the guards would later be tried and executed after the war. From Ōfuna, Fulton was transported to an actual POW [Annotator's Note: prisoner of war] camp in Zentsuji, Japan. There were two story buildings there which had housed Russian prisoners during the Russo-Japanese war in the early 20th Century. Prisoners were multi-national at the new camp. There were no serious problems like that experienced by the rest of the Houston [Annotator's Note: USS Houston (CA-30)] survivors who were assigned to the Burmese "Railroad of Death." Fulton had an opportunity to escape but knew he would not be successful because of his ready recognition as the only white man to walk through the town. In 1944 and 1945, the POWs knew what was going on in the war. They could see the B-29 [Annotator's Note: Boeing B-29 Superfortress heavy bombers] bombers overhead so they could tell friendly forces were getting closer. On 24 June [Annotator's Note: 24 June 1945], the POWs were moved further from the coast in anticipation of an American invasion. The location was atop a mountain. The POWs were dreading the winter weather at that altitude. One summer day, the captives saw what they thought was a dust storm. They observed a red glow in the sky. A kindly Japanese interpreter told them that something had been done by America that would make them ashamed. Days later, the announcement was made that the POWs were free. That was the way the prisoners learned of Japan's surrender. It was confirmed on a broadcast picked up on a hidden POW radio. Fulton proceeded to paint a large "PW" on the roof of one of the buildings to identify the camp as housing prisoners of war. Food was dropped for the POWs. Some men were sickened from excessive food. Days later, Army personnel took the survivors to another camp for return home. The Japanese Red Cross provided tea and cookies for the former prisoners. Unlike the trip into Japan, the men were treated first class on their exit from Japan. Navy personnel were loaded on the battleship Iowa [Annotator's Note: USS Iowa (BB-61)] and treated to a fine meal. They were then flown to Guam as some of the last released POWs leaving Japan. On the way home, forms were filled out about whether anyone aided the enemy or to identify any captors who mistreated the POWs. Treatment was good on Guam. Doctors were worried about the men having too much food. Celebrations were in order. Communication with family was allowed where mail during captivity was highly restricted.

Robert Fulton was transported on the amphibious Landing Ship Dock, or LSD, USS Ozark (LSV-2). It was a slow voyage to reach San Francisco. The men were cleared to return home. Fulton returned to his wife and son in Washington, D.C. Life had been difficult for the families while their men were in prisoner of war camps. The government showed little compassion for the worries of the family members left back home. Fulton is committed to improving that situation going forward. Fulton aided in writing the battle report of the USS Houston (CA-30). He was happy to see the descendants of the crew and the city of Houston pay their respects to the ship he had proudly served on prior to its loss.

Robert Fulton and the USS Houston (CA-30) did not obtain any ammunition from the Dutch. Added antiaircraft ammunition was obtained from another cruiser. Some ammunition was transferred aboard ship from turrets that had been put out of commission. The ship expended all of its ammunition other than star shells before being abandoned. She seemed in good shape when Fulton abandoned ship. It was a hopeless situation since the Allied ships were so outnumbered by the Japanese. The early days of the Asiatic Fleet were good days in China as was depicted in the movie "The Sand Pebbles." In the summer of 1940, the Japanese moved more aggressively into China and things got worse. The crew of the Houston thought they would be the first to be hit when war started. They were surprised that Pearl Harbor was the first Japanese target of the war. While in combat, Fulton feared near misses which would damage internal equipment and structure. His forward engine room received communication only through telephone messages. There was a problem with the stern tube bearing for the propeller shaft. That was the only problem other than the supply of fuel from the Dutch. It was different than the fuel pumped by the American ships. Speed was reduced as a result. Fulton built a fuel oil cooler to aid in cooling the oil to increase speed by a bit. He also developed a means to help not only antiaircraft batteries in targeting enemy bombers but to direct ship maneuvering to avoid their bombs. The Houston suffered from lack of fleet communication as well as information flow at the lower levels of the ship. Bad news came incessantly. There was the fall of Manila and Singapore as well as the loss of the British ships Prince of Wales and Repulse. Since Tokyo Rose repeatedly reported the sinking of the Houston, the ship came to be known as "The Galloping Ghost of the Java Coast." Rumors were rampant. When the command of the fleet was turned over to the Dutch, the American crew on the Houston lost confidence in their ability to succeed. When Fulton and his forward engine room crew stood to for abandoning ship on the open deck, there was no panic. They discovered later that their missing raft would lead to their salvation. Fulton and his men swam for ten hours toward shore where the mountains were in the background. He was exhausted in reaching the beach but he had survived.

Robert Fulton was not interrogated while a prisoner in Japan except at Ōfuna. The people of Java were very hostile toward the POWs [Annotator's Note: prisoners of war]. Communists had infiltrated the island prior to the war. Beatings by the Japanese were sporadic and unpredictable. An American flyer who attempted to escape was not beaten. The guards disrespected the prisoners for being captured. During his interrogation at Ōfuna, Fulton fabricated design features of the USS Houston (CA-30). Fulton would be beaten up but would not give valuable information. The Japanese had a different culture and way of life from the Americans. Ōfuna was the most difficult camp even though his first camp at Sarang contained many sick and wounded living in filthy conditions. The prisoners had little rest since the Battle of Java Sea. The officers and enlisted were separated with the enlisted given more work to do. They worked mainly as stevedores. They received more food as a result. Various types of rice formed the majority of the diet for the POWs. Food was scavenged and smuggled back into the camp for barter amongst the prisoners. Sugar was especially treasured. POWs were never allowed to maintain a garden for themselves. Fulton tried to raise rabbits but they starved due to lack of food. A fellow prisoner managed to cook a chicken dinner for Fulton for his birthday near the end of the war. A Japanese guard told the men that he was a Christian and that he had a Bible. It was an Old Testament. The POWs had a New Testament provided by the Red Cross and offered to swap the guard. They traded but the guard wondered if he got the short end of the deal because the New Testament was not as thick as the Old Testament. [Annotator's Note: Fulton laughs.]

Robert Fulton's low points in captivity included Red Cross packages not distributed to the POWs [Annotator's Note: prisoners of war], being beaten, and having to kneel in front of a ditch when he thought he would be beheaded. The word was out that an American invasion of the home islands would result in the total execution of the POW population. Fulton was not a critic of the atomic bomb. Red Cross packages and mail from home were rarely distributed by the enemy. Prisoners enjoyed cooking up stories to get beyond the Japanese. No sports were allowed. An airman from Bataan had a clandestine radio. Japanese civilians never showed hostility toward the POWs. Fulton was allowed to go outside the camp to pick vegetation for soup. His guard told him that soon they would be friends. Many Japanese were indifferent to the American prisoners. At one point, Fulton was locked outside the prison but eventually got back in. Fulton learned news of the war from Japanese newspapers and the clandestine radio. The Allies were closing in. When the POWs were taken through Osaka, all they could see was the blackened remains of the city. Fire raids wiped out larger cities and towns. The guards lost their families in addition to brothers who had died in battles far away, but they did not beat the POWs. There seemed to be more respect for the POWs except for Ōfuna where submarine officers were worked over. One Japanese guard forced another guard to return the Naval Academy ring to Fulton. Fulton kept that ring all the way through captivity. Fulton has learned to accept what life has given him. He contracted beriberi and amebic dysentery at Ōfuna. He was beaten for being sick because it was embarrassing to the camp commander. Friends were lost in camp due to malnutrition.

Robert Fulton retired as a rear admiral from the Navy 23 years after returning home in 1945. He served in Washington, D.C. in Ship's Systems Command. He entered engineering to design, build and maintain ships for the rest of his career. He would commute to work down the same street that he commuted to high school. The war made him look deeper into the events of the world. The USS Houston (CA-30) received the Presidential Unit Citation. It made the surviving crew very close. The war was necessary, but America has slipped the wrong way. People are not pulling together. Television and the talking heads throw out propaganda and cause problems. The war changed the world for the better. Hitler and Mussolini [Annotator's Note: German dictator Adolf Hitler and Italian dictator Benito Mussolini] as the victors would have led to a bad situation. The United States has done more than any other country for others but is hated by many countries in the world. Being such a powerful force in the world, may have alienated some countries. It is significant to have The National WWII Museum. History is important. The price of freedom has been steep. In the future, it will be steep again. Fulton has given his story for the people who did not come back from the war.