Fuller survived the fall of Bataan and Corregidor but was captured May 6, 1942 by the Japanese at Ft. Hughes, a small island off Corregidor. Because his captors needed a radioman to maintain their equipment, he was held on the small island until January 12, then was moved to Corregidor. He and the three other Americans later escaped. Reaching Luzon by a makeshift raft, which had been secretly assembled, the men trudged for 18 days through the dense Philippine jungles before coming upon a friendly Filipino camp. There, Fuller organized the so-called Liberators of the Field guerrilla force, harassing the Japanese and relaying vital information to Filipino and American commands and setting up a system of rescuing downed airmen. During his six months of guerrilla activity, Fuller was listed as “missing in action.”
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Awards Received
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Distinguished Service Cross
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Prisoner of War Medal
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Legion of Merit
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Distinguished Service Cross
Headquarters, Allied Forces in the Philippines, General Orders No. 20 (April 9, 1942)The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Chief Radioman Bert Carl Fuller (NSN: 2910061), United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism in action in the vicinity of Quinauan Point, Bataan, Luzon, Philippine Islands, on 8 February 1942. When it became necessary to coordinate an attack from seaward with the operations of ground forces in breaking the resistance of a defiladed and strongly-held enemy position, Chief Radioman Fuller commanded one of the two armored boats taking part in the expedition. During the entire operation this intrepid Blue Jacket maintained an exposed position in his boat directing in detail the maneuver and fire of his craft despite intense hostile fire from the beach and repeated bombing and strafing attacks by enemy dive bombers. When the third of a series of hostile dive bombing attacks caused damage which necessitated beaching his boat and inflicted several casualties thereon, Chief Radioman Fuller, though himself seriously and painfully wounded, immediately and calmly took steps to care for the wounded and get his boat to shore. The unselfish courage, strong leadership, and devotion to duty displayed by this man in the face of serious hazards of hostile bombardment and gun fire furnished an example to his crew which contributed in large measure to the signal success of the operation.
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Prisoner of War Medal
Service:
United States NavyRank:
Chief RadiomanDivision:
Prisoner of War (Philippine Islands)Action Date:
May 6, 1942 – May 21, 1944
NARA Database: Records of World War II Prisoners of War, created, 1942 – 1947Chief Radioman Bert Carl Fuller (NSN: 2910061), United States Navy, was captured by the Japanese in 1942 and was held as a Prisoner of War until he until he successfully escaped captivity in 1944.
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Legion of Merit
Service:
United States NavyRank:
Chief RadiomanDivision:
Prisoner of War (Philippine Islands)Action Date:
January 1942 – May 21, 1944
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Legion of Merit with Combat “V” to Chief Radioman Bert Carl Fuller (NSN: 2910061), United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States. During the period from January 1942 to 21 May 1944, while a Prisoner of War of the Japanese, he gathered detailed information of great value concerning enemy installations in the Manila area, and Cavite and Batangas Provinces of Luzon. Executing a well-planned escape, he made his way to the Headquarters of the Allied Forces in the Philippines and delivered his information in time to be of value in forthcoming operations. Throughout this period he displayed great courage, ingenuity, professional skill and a fixed determination to escape in spite of all odds. His conduct was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. (Chief Radioman Fuller is authorized to wear the Combat “V”.)