Posted on 09/25/2019
Capt. Charles L. Mull died on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019 in Brunswick at the age of 91.
Born in Reading, Pa. on Dec. 30, 1927, Captain "Chuck" Mull grew up in Catskill, N.Y. He graduated from Christian Brothers Academy in Albany with the class of 1945 and the United States Naval Academy with the class of 1950. Commissioned Ensign, U.S. Navy, he began a 31-year naval career.
Chuck served four deployments from the outset of the Korean Conflict aboard three ships with heavy cruiser USS Toledo (CA-133), amphibious landing ship USS LST 854, and Commanding Officer of minesweeper USS Kite (AMS-22) based in Sasebo, Japan.
After graduating from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School Monterey, CA, his additional ship assignments included anti-submarine aircraft carrier USS Valley Forge (CVS-45) and the destroyer USS Dupont (DD-941). He was selected for naval engineering duty in 1960.
Subsequent assignments included U.S. Naval Shipyard Long Beach, Calif.; staff of Commander Cruiser Destroyer Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet in San Diego, Calif.; U.S. Naval Ship Repair Facility Yokosuka, Japan; Naval Ship Engineering Center, Washington, D.C.; Commanding Officer U.S. Naval Electronics System Command Southeast, Charleston, S.C.; Technical Director Oliver Hazard Perry FFG-7 Guided Missile Frigate Program at Naval Ship Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C.; and Commanding Officer and U.S. Navy Supervisor of Shipbuilding and Fleet Overhaul and Repair, Bath, Maine for FFG-7 Guided Missile Frigate class construction contracts and those for destroyer and other active fleet overhauls. Upon his retirement in 1981, he was presented with the Presidential Legion of Merit for his eight years with the FFG-7 Frigate program, among previous decorations and campaigns.
Chuck met his wife, Sally, the former Sara Louise Tooke, in Long Beach, Calif., and they were married in 1952 at the old Fort Myer Chapel in Washington, D.C.
The Mulls began their Navy retirement in Brunswick with the purchase of the Stowe Travel International travel agency and operated it for 18 years. During and subsequent to this period Chuck served in leadership positions with United Way of Midcoast Maine, Brunswick Area Chamber of Commerce, Casco Bay Council of the U.S. Navy League, Brunswick Downtown Business Group, Military Civilian Community Council, Brunswick Rotary Club and St. Paul's Episcopal Church. He was honored with the distinguished Joshua Chamberlain Award in 1981 and in 2006 the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Southern Midcoast Maine Chamber of Commerce.
Capt. Mull was predeceased by daughter, Carol; granddaughter, Stephanie; and brother, Gerard.
He is survived by his wife, Sally; daughter, Debbie of Ballston Spa, N.Y. and son, Charlie of Portland; six grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, September 28 at 2 p.m. from St. Paul's Episcopal Church 27 Pleasant St., Brunswick. Interment with military honors to follow in St. Paul's Memorial Garden.
Arrangements are by Stetson's Funeral Home, 12 Federal St., Brunswick, Maine 04011, where memorial condolences may be expressed at stetsonsfuneralhome.com
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to:
U.S. Naval Academy Foundation
274 Wood Road
Annapolis, MD 21402
or
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
27 Pleasant St.
Brunswick, ME 04011
Published in Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram on Sept. 25, 2019