Biddle (CG 34) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 14 text:

CAPTAIN GRANT D. FULKERSON Captain Fulkerson was born in Baltimore, Maryland but calls Bardstown, Kentucky his home. He attended the U.S. Naval Academy and was commissioned an Ensign in 1964. I His first assignment was as the Missile Ordnance Officer and First Lieutenant on USS Gridley QDLG-191. After-graduation from the U.S. Naval Destroyer School in 1967, he reported aboard USS Beatty QDD-7565 as Weapons Officer. .His next tour was with the fleet command unit of the U.S. Military Advisory Group Vietnam where he served as an advisor onboard Vietnamese river gun boats. He attended the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California and was awarded a Master of Science in personnel administration. ln 1971, Captain Fulkerson assumed duties as an instructor in naval weapons at the U.S. Naval Academy. Following a tour as the Combat Systems Officer in USS Bainbridge QCGN-251 from 1975 to 1977, he served as the Executive Officer of USS Hull QDD-9451. In 1979, he was assigned to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations as head of the Military Manpower! Hardware Procurement fHardmanl Officer. Captain Fulkerson commanded the guided missile destroyer USS Barney QDDG-63 from 1982 to 1985. Subsequent to a tour as a student at the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode island, he became the Operations Officer for Commander, Cruiser- Destroyer Group Eight in 1986, where he served prior to assuming command of USS Biddle. The Captain's awards include the Bronze Star with Combat V, Meritorious Service Medal, Combat Action Ribbon and several other personal and campaign ribbons. 'IO

Page 13 text:

Captain Allen and Rear Admiral Boorda, Commander, Cruiser-Destroyer Group Eight, cross the brow to inspect the ship during overhaul. www, ' I K' fQ -u.. A Q f' ' I ' W , C W if i Captain Allen talks to the crew about his philosophy of leadership. Receipt of the silver service from the Citizens of Philadelphia was a highlight of Captain Allen's tour.

Page 15 text:

Captain Fulkerson calmly watches as LT Pavlat conns alongside USNS Joshua Humphreys. Captain Fulkerson, as part of the dubious honor of oldest man on board, cuts the Navy birthday cake while the youngest man, SMSN Fischer, samples the first piece. 11 i -. W. .:.j.: a:1-:Jx.,' -' .,,seE:'r4.f Only a seaman realizes to what extend an entire ship reflects the personality and ability of one individual, her Commanding Officer. To a landsman this is not understandable and sometimes it is even difficult for us to comprehend - but it is so. A ship at sea is a distant world in herself, and in consideration of the protracted and distant operations of the fleet units, the Navy must place great power, responsibility and trust in the hands of those leaders chosen for command. In each ship there is one man who, in the hour of emergency or peril at sea, can turn to no other man. There is one who alone is ultimately responsible for the safe navigation, engineering performance, accurate gunfiring, and morale of his ship. He is the Commanding Officer. He is the ship. This is the most difficult and demanding assignment in the Navy. There is not an instant during his tour as Commanding Officer that he can escape the grasp of command responsibility. His privileges in view of his obligations are almost Iudicrously smallg nevertheless, command is the spur which has given the Navy its great leaders. It is duty which most richly deserves the highest, time-honored title of the seafaring world - CAPTAIN. - by Joseph Conrad