USS Fulton (AS-1) was the first ship in the United States Navy designated as a submarine tender (AS) and was the third United States Navy ship named for Robert Fulton.

Robert Fulton, born in Little Britain, Pennsylvania, in 1765, had a distinguished career as a painter before patenting his first invention, a double inclined plane to replace locks in canals, in England, in 1794. His numerous ingenious and influential inventions included a prototype submarine, "Nautilus," amphibious boats, and the first commercially successful steamboat, "Clermont." In 1814 and 1815, he built the first war steamer, known both as "Fulton" and Demologos." He died in New York City, New York, on 24 February 1815.

USS Fulton (AS-1)...initially named "Niagara"...was authorized to be built on 4 March 1911. Her keel was laid down on 2 October 1913 by the Fore River Shipbuilding Company at Quincy, Massachusetts. The ship was christened by Mrs. A. T. Sutcliffe, the great granddaughter of Robert Fulton, and launched on 6 June 1914. The submarine tender was commissioned on 7 December 1914 with Lieutenant J. D. Wilson in command.

When commissioned, the ship was 226 feet 6 inches in length overall; had an extreme beam of 35 feet; had a normal displacement of 1,308 tons, and, when in that condition, had a mean draft of 13 feet. Ship's company consisted of 6 officers and 129 enlisted men. Armament included two 3-inch/50 caliber guns and one 1-pounder automatic antiaircraft gun. Two-hundred and thirty-four tons of diesel oil could be carried to fuel one 1,100 brake horsepower, 6-cylinder, 2-cycle, NELSECO diesel engine built by the New London Ship and Engine Company of Groton, Connecticut...which turned one propeller...which propelled the Fulton class submarine tender at 12.34 knots on trials.

During her first six months of service, USS Fulton (AS-1) tended submarines at Norfolk, Virginia; Charleston, South Carolina; New York City, New York; and Newport, Rhode Island. Then, following overhaul, the submarine tender arrived at the United States Naval Submarine Base New London, Groton, Connecticut, for duty, on 2 November 1915. Through 1922, this was to be her principal base for operations with submarines along the east coast of the United States and in the Caribbean Sea ... from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, to Cuba. The ship took part in maneuvers and war games, served as station ship at the Connecticut submarine base, and, in the summer of 1922, was the flagship of Commander, Atlantic Submarine Flotillas.

Reassigned as submarine tender for the submarine base at Coco Solo in the Panama Canal Zone, USS 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.

The ship transited to the Philadelphia Navy Yard on 14 July 1925, and, there, was decommissioned and placed in the Reserve Fleet on 5 October 1925.

USS Fulton was recommissioned on 2 September 1930 for duty as a surveying ship in the Panama Canal Zone, and was reclassified PG-49 (Gunboat-49) on 29 September 1930.

On 3 March 1931, following a transit down the east coast of the United States and through the Caribbean Sea, USS Fulton arrived at Balboa in the Panama Canal Zone.

Aside from a voyage north for overhaul in the winter of 1931-1932, she conducted surveys in the Panama Canal Zone area until arriving at San Diego, California, on 13 August 1932...to prepare for duty with the United States Asiatic Fleet. Her assigned station was Hong Kong...where she arrived on 3 November 1932.

With infrequent voyages to the Cavite Navy Yard in the Philippine Islands, USS Fulton patrolled the south China coast from Hong Kong to Canton, until 14 March 1934.

On 14 March 1934, fire broke out amidships when exhaust lines from two cylinders of her diesel engine carried away and ignited oil on the engine. The crew assembled on the bow and stern, and were taken off by HMS Wishart and SS Tsinan. Three crewmembers had minor injuries. HMS Whitshed stood by the burning ship until a salvage party got the fire under sufficient control to allow her to be taken in tow for Junk Bay. On 24 March 1934, an American tug came to tow USS Fulton into Hong Kong...where she received emergency repairs to allow her to be towed to the Cavite Navy Yard. There, USS Fulton was decommissioned, on 12 May 1934, and, subsequently, disposed of.