Fred Hull was born on May 4, 1932, in Jefferson City, MO, the son of Mary Lee and Robert Ray Hull. He died of a heart attack on February 26, 2011, at his home "Tranquility" in Warrenton, VA. He was 78 years old.
Raised in North Carolina, Fred attended high school in Concord, where he played varsity football and basketball. In 1950 he was appointed to the US Naval Academy in Annapolis. He graduated with the Class of 1954 (19th Company) and was commissioned an Ensign in the United States Navy.
Following graduation Fred married Helen Lamb Cheek of Henderson, NC.
A career naval officer, he served several tours as a naval aviator--a passion that never dimmed-but the bulk of his career was dedicated to his work in Naval Intelligence. Fred also earned degrees from the Naval Intelligence School (PG) (1961), the George Washington University (1966), the Naval War College (1966), and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces (1975). As an aviator Captain Hull served at Chincoteague NAS as part of the team assigned to the Regulus Missile Testing Program, then at the Pacific Missile Range, Pt. Mugu, and finally aboard the USS Intrepid, flying anti-submarine missions as part of the Atlantic Fleet.
Fred's first intelligence assignment was at the Naval Observatory, Washington, DC, (STIC) in 1960, followed by a three year tour in Honolulu as a senior intelligence staff officer on the CINCPACFLT staff. In 1969 he returned to Washington, DC as a Senior Assistant in the Naval Space Program, supervising the development and testing of naval navigation and intelligence satellites. Near the end of his distinguished naval career he was Commander, NIPSSA. In addition to receiving his Naval Wings of Gold, he earned the Legion of Merit three times, the Meritorious Service Medal and other awards and decorations.
Following his retirement in 1978, Fred served as Counsel to the US House of Representatives Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
Upon leaving the House of Representatives, Captain Hull and several industry partners formed a highly successful engineering consulting firm, MRJ, where he served as a Vice President until he again retired in 1999.
In 1994 Fred and Helen moved to Warrenton, VA in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. He was a member of St. James' Episcopal Church and served that church in many important leadership roles including Vestry member, Junior Warden, Treasurer, and Chair of the Finance Committee. He took special pride in his support for Community Outreach.
A fiercely dedicated husband, father and friend, Fred is survived by Helen his beloved wife of nearly 57 years; a daughter, Mary Helen Hawkins (Kenneth) of Woodinville, WA; a son, the Rev. Robert Charles "Skip" Hull (Suanne) of Charlotte, NC; seven grandchildren; and two great grandchildren. A third child, John Fred, died in infancy. He is also survived by his brother, Colonel, US Army (ret), Robert Lee Hull, of Annandale, VA.
A funeral service with military honors was held at St. James' Episcopal Church on March 4, 2011. Interment will follow at a later date.
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