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Mrfa Mourns Loss of a True Hero from the Galley

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Mrfa Mourns Loss of a True Hero from the Galley E FORCE IN A R S E S IV O R C I E A L I T I B O O N M V I E T N A M A PUBLICATION OF VOLUME 15, NUMBER 1 THE MOBILE RIVERINE FORCE ASSOCIATION SPRING 2006 MRFMRFAA MOURNSMOURNS LOSSLOSS OFOF AA TRUETRUE HEROHERO 3rd/60th Reactivated By Albert “Monti” Montillo B Co 3rd/60th 9th Lt. General William B. Fulton, USA, Ret., the Command and General Staff College, Infantry Division Vietnam 4/6-9/68 who served as the Association of the Fulton then held a variety of assignments United States Army’s director of industry first in Germany, then an instructor at the The Army recently decided to deactivate affairs, died 20 January 2006 in Arlington, Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia. the 1st Battalion 28th Infantry and reacti- Virginia. He was 86. During the Korean War, he was on the vate the 3rd Battalion 60th Infantry, The Joining the AUSA staff shortly after retir- planning staff, and later G1, with Head- battalion CO, Lt Col Christopher Rizzo ing from the service as quarters, Army Forces located the MRFA web site and soon there- the director of the Army Far East Advanced, The MRFA and our Country lost a after made contact with John Sperry. John staff at the Department before joining the 4th contacted several members of Bravo Com- of the Army, Fulton was true American hero in General Fulton. He was one of a kind, a true Infantry Division as a pany and a group of us attended the cere- in charge of the Associa- Officer and Gentleman. A Soldier’s, battalion commander. mony held at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, tion’s Sustaining Mem- Soldier, the likes of whom we will After an assignment November 16, 2005. We were greeted ber Program, advertis- not see again in our lifetime. The in the Pentagon in warmly by Lt Col Rizzo and we shared ing for both ARMY Maga- General loved and respected all research and develop- some camaraderie with B Co 3rd/60th. He zine and AUSA NEWS, who served in Vietnam. He once told me that he fought in three wars ment, Fulton attended explained how impressed he was with the the Annual Meeting and the Air War College at response from John Sperry and Bob Exposition and the grow- but the bravest of the brave were the young men who served in Viet- Maxwell Air Force Base, Stumpf and to have us attend the cere- ing symposia program, a nam. served as a member of a mony. He told us this is a Basic Training series of professional He will be deeply missed by all special study group in battalion and their new salute greeting will development forums who knew him and we who knew the Office of the Joint be “River Raiders!” He admitted they really held around the country him are better off today for having Chiefs of Staff and was a wanted to use “Wild Ones” but consider- each year dealing with known the General. He was such a member of the Army ing this is a Basic Training unit felt that inap- timely topics affecting Gentleman. War College’s staff and propriate. The ceremony was formal and national defense, the Keep Marching, Keep Marching… faculty; during which impressive, the inactivation of two battal- posture of the Army and Albert time he completed his CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 the men and women studies for a Master’s who serve. degree in international Fulton served with AUSA from May 1977 relations from George Washington Uni- to January 1985. A native of Berkley, Cali- versity. FROMFROM THETHE GALLEYGALLEY fornia, Fulton graduated from the Univer- Fulton then joined the re-activated 9th sity of California at Berkley in 1938 with a Infantry Division, the “Old Reliables” at ALBERT MOORE, MRFA PRESIDENT bachelor’s degree in political science and a Fort Riley, Kansas. commission in the United States Army. He As the United States increased its troop May 4-6, 2006, MRFA was an honor graduate of the Reserve Offi- commitment to Southeast Asia, Fulton cer’s Training Program (ROTC). Gathering of the Troops, Crews & became the commander of the Division’s Guests in Indianapolis, Indiana As a newly commissioned second lieu- 2nd Brigade and, under his leadership, his tenant of infantry, Fulton was assigned to unit expanded from a handful of officers an infantry replacement center in Oregon. and noncommissioned officers into a full- Some of you may remember as far back He then entered World War II and joined strength, combat-ready fighting unit that to our reunions at the Galt House in Lou- the 91st Infantry Division in North Africa was deployed to Vietnam in late January isville, Kentucky (94-95), and our first where he commanded a platoon. 1967. reunion at the Drawbridge in 1997. In As a captain, Fulton commanded a com- 1994 and 1996, we had what we called a While in-country, Fulton launched com- “unit gatherings” at the Galt House and pany that moved into Italy and fought in bat operations in the Mekong River Delta the Rome-Arno Campaign, experienced the Drawbridge, where you the members and later, because of its combat efficiencies could come and check the hotel and areas combat in the North Appenines to Bologna in this new endeavor, the brigade teamed and then saw action in the Po Valley--its out prior to our reunions. This went over up with Navy Task Force 117 to form the real well with the membership. We will final campaign of the war. For his gallantry Mobile Riverine Force, an effective and and heroism in combat, he was awarded be doing the same thing in at the Adam's proficient joint fighting unit of historic Mark Hotel by the Airport in Indianapo- the Nation’s second highest award for proportions. valor--the Distinguished Service Cross. lis. It will start on Thursday, May 4, 2006 Returning to the United States to attend CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 2 River Currents, Volume 15, Number 1 • Spring 2006 From the Galley Things to See and Do in Indianapolis CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 and check-out is on Sunday the 7th. Now, FROM THE VP ROY MOSEMAN the gatherings are somewhat different than the reunions. We will not have any We will be at the ADAM'S MARK HOTEL downtown and easily accessible. If muse- activities planned such as a meal, dance, in Indianapolis, IN, in May 2006 for a gath- ums are your thing, you are in luck. There etc., but we will have a hospitality room ering of the troops and crews. Our next are many museums in the area including available with snacks and beverages. reunion will be at the Adam’s Mark in Au- the Crispus Attucks Museum, the Eiteljorg There will be no registration fee for this gust '07. The Adam’s Mark is a beautiful Museum of American Indians and West- gathering, so if you live in the area and h o t e l l o c a t e d e r n A r t , t h e just want to come and visit that's fine, too. within 10 minutes Freetown Village, This is also a good time for some of you of the airport and the Indiana Basket- that have missed our prior reunions to close to downtown ball Hall of Fame, come and visit. There will be a free shuttle attractions. It is the Indiana Medi- service to and from the airport; the cour- large enough to cal History Mu- tesy phone for the airport shuttle service handle our associa- seum, the Colonel is located in the baggage area. For those of t i o n a n d w e l l Eli Lilly War Mu- you wishing to visit downtown and the equipped with the seum, and Con- local mall, the hotel will be providing free amenities that we gressional Medal shuttle service to and from downtown. require. They will of Honor Memo- The hotel has free parking; but there are be a gracious host rial. Indianapolis no RV hook-ups. The hotel has a large and willing to ac- also has the Indi- parking area so there will be no problem commodate our ana State Library, finding a parking space. Room rates are every need. Adam’s the American Le- $79 a night. You have to make your own Mark will undergo g i o n N a t i o n a l reservations. You may contact the hotel a $10 million renovation that will be com- Headquarters, and the Indiana War Memo- directly by calling (317) 248-2481. Be sure plete before our '07 reunion. rial Plaza Historic District where a Soldier to mention you’re making your reserva- Indianapolis is a fairly large city with a and Sailors large monument is located, tions under the Mobile Riverine Force small town atmosphere. It really is beauti- plus it has the second most war memorials Association. For more information on the ful with its downtown parks and over 2 and monuments of any city in the United hotel, contact Reggie Vaughn, Sales Man- miles of canals winding through the city. States--only Washington, DC, has more. ager, (317) 381-6127 (his direct-dial line) or One can rent a paddle boat or take a gon- There are many places to shop including e-mail rvaughn@ adamsmark.com. You dola ride through the canal with a slow and the downtown Circle Centre with shops in may also contact Angela Jordan, Conven- peaceful view of this beautiful city.
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