Guadeloupe AO-32

Guadeloupe

A river in Texas.

(AO-32: dp. 7,256; 1. 552'; b. 75'3"; dr. 31'6"; s. 18 k.;
cgpl. 285; cl. Cimarron)

Guadeloupe (AO-32) was launched as SS Esso Raleigh 26 January 1940 by the Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., Newport News, VA., sponsored by Mrs. W. L. Inslee, wife of the late manager of the Traffic Division, Marine Department, Standard Oil of New Jersey, taken over by the Maritime Commission as MC Hull # 12; acquired by the Navy 1 June 1941, and commissioned 19 June 1941, Comdr. Harry B. Thurber in command.

Six weeks of coastwise voyages carrying oil from Texas to New Jersey ended 16 August as Guadeloupe docked at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Receiving as deck cargo six PT boats later to form the famous squadron commanded by Lt. Comdr. John Bulkeley, Guadeloupe sailed for the western Pacific 3 days later. After discharging cargo and oil at Pearl Harbor Manila, and Cavite, the tanker returned to Norfolk 13 November via San Diego. After America's sudden plunge in war, she put into Baltimore to be fitted with guns.

In January 1942 Guadeloupe sailed to the Pacific, where she was to participate in virtually every major campaign of the long and bloody war. After months of developing techniques for fueling at sea, a science then in its infancy, Guadeloupe sailed from Pearl Harbor 2 June 1942 to refuel American ships participating in the momentous Battle of Midway, the first naval defeat indicted on the Japanese in 350 years. From Midway Guadeloupe sailed north to spend the rest of the summer supporting American forces in the Attu campaign.

As the United States launched its first offensive effort in the Pacific, Guadeloupe sailed south to spend the final tour months of 1942 fueling warships operating in and around Guadalcanal The first half of 1943 saw her in overhaul in the United States and operating in the Aleutians, with two shuttle trips to Pearl Harbor with fuel and planes. Departing Pearl 22 August Guadeloupe sailed to the central Pacific to support the Gilberts campaign, working with such famous fighting ships as Essex, Independence, Washington, Enterprise, Lexington, and Yorktown. After a late winter overhaul, she returned to the Pacific theater in February 1944 operating in support of Vice Admiral Mitscher's carrier force during the Truk campaign. A short break at Pearl Harbor ended as Guadeloupe sailed 11 May to operate in support of the 5th Fleet during the Marianas campaign. From there she sailed in late August to support Admiral "Bull" Halsey's 3d Fleet in action against the Japanese in the Palau and Philippine areas. One of her mayor tasks was refueling ships during the climactic Battle of Leyte Gulf.

On 29 December 1944 Guadeloupe sailed from Ulithi with units of TF-38, then preparing for the invasion of Lingayen Gulf. Joining a fast carrier strike force under Admiral J. S. McCain, Guadeloupe steamed through Luzon Strait into the China Sea on the night of 9 to 10 January l945, concurrent with the first invasion waves on Lingayen Gulf. During the transit of the Strait, another tanker, Nantahala, collided with Guadeloupe, putting a large hole in the bow Jury-rigged repairs enabled Guadeloupe to continue with the fast carrier groupwhich included Yorktown, Cowpen &, and South Dakotaas they conducted strikes against Japanese positions on Formosa and along the China coast. This action diverted the enemy from the main action at Lingayen Gulf, and crippled his land-based air power.

A month's availability at Ulithi to repair her damaged bow ended in late February and Guadalupe again steamed for battle, this time operating in support of the Iwo Jima invasion. After 2 weeks, off Iwo Jima, 24 February to 7 March, Guadalupe returned empty to Ulithi to prepare for her role in the bloody Okinawa campaign. Departing Ulithi 25 March 1945, Guadeloupe spent 3 weeks off Okinawa, returned to Ulithi for more fuel, and then spent another 3 weeks off Okinawa. As the fierce struggle raged for this rockbound island, last step before the Japanese home islands, Guadeloupe operated through heavy weather and high seas to provide other services, as well as her normal duties of refueling the giant invasion fleet, largest ever assembled in the Pacific.

Okinawa marked the end of Guadeloupe's service in the Pacific war. She sailed for the States and overhaul 24 May, and was 2 days out of Pearl Harbor on her way back to the struggle when the Japanese capitulation ended the long war 15 August 1945. From Pearl, Guadeloupe went to Jinsen, Korea, where she replenished units of the 7th Fleet occupying Yellow Sea ports. The tanker sailed for Okinawa 22 October and remained there through 1945.

In the post-war period Guadeloupe remained on duty in the Pacific, supplying vital fuel oil to American units in Japan, China, Korea, the Philippines, and scores of islands. Some of this fuel oil she picked up at Bahrein, Arabia, as she sailed from the Far East to Norfolk via the Suez and Gibraltar in 1948, returning over the same route.

When North Korean Communist troops hurled themselves across the 38th parallel 24 June 1950, Guadalupe was undergoing repairs at Long Beach, Calif., but she was soon ready for an active part. Sailing for the Pacific 29 July, she spent three months shuttling fuel oil between Hawaii, Kwajalein, and Guam before joining the 7th Fleet at Sasebo, Japan, 1 December 1960. Operating with various units of the fleet, Guadalupe visited Okinawa, Hong Kong, and Formosa in addition to refueling American and United Nation's ships in the Korean replenishment area. She also sailed along the Korean coast to support the siege of Wonsan harbor.

An uneasy peace settled over the war-torn peninsula in August 1953, while Guadalupe was undergoing overhaul in California, but she returned to the Pacific to support American forces on the Formosa Patrol and training operations. From that time, the tanker~s year settled into a routine of six months deployment with the 7th Fleet and 6 months operating out of Long Beach. In her Far East operations, Guadeloupe has visited every major Pacific portHong Kong, Manila, Tokyo, Ceylon, Formosawhile playing her unsung but vital role in keeping the peace. At present she continues her important role as a fleet oiler supporting American ships off the coast of Vietnam.