After long war duty Senior Navy
oiler returns
By BUCK LANIER
Military Editor

The U.S. Navy's third oldest ship, the oiler Guadalupe, ended the third longest deployment of the Vietnam war Thursday when she tied up at Pier 9 at the Long Beach Naval Station.
The 31-year-old oiler logged 67,000 miles and tended 212 ships during her war tour of 10 months and 15 days. Her record is exceeded only by the Long Beach oiler Navasota, with 10 months and 20 days on station in the combat zone, and the attack transport Okanagon's 10 month's and 23 days.
Guadalupe is senior of vessels except tenders Dixie and Prairie. But she performed like a youngster in providing 42 million gallons of fuel to the she served from the Gulf of Siam to the coastal waters of North Vietnam.
Cmdr. Richard T. Colley and his 215-man crew made liberty ports at Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Sasebo, Japan; Singapore and Olongopo 'in the Philippines. The ship cleared customs at Hawaii on the way home, which meant that families and friends were able to get aboard quickly when she tied up at Long Beach Thursday.
Now it's 30 days of unloading and unwinding for ship and crew. Even a tough old oiler needs a vacation now and then.

Even after a 10 1/2 month deployment The Guad wins a personel retention award!!!

Long Beach Navy Dispatch
SEPTEMBER 1, 1972
Pacific Ships Win Motivation Awards The USS Illusive (MSO 488), USS Hector (AR-7) USS Guadalupe (AO-32), USS Albert David (DE 1050), USS Alamo (LSD-33) all took first place in the Commander in Chief U.S. Pacific Fleet Career Admiral B. A. Clarey, Commander in Chief, U.S. Fleet, stated, ''The readiness of the Navy depends on retention of well trained and well qualified men and women. The award winners can be justly proud of their outstanding ac complishments in this key area of retention. "Well done to the of ficers and men of the above Pacific Fleet units for their effective personnel retention efforts."