USS Caliente (AO-53) - Operation HUKASWEX 4-70

Operation HUKASWEX 4-70

Caliente conducted seven line swings, interspersed with fuel loadouts at Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and a typhoon on 12–14 September, before departing the South China Sea on 3 October. After a brief stop at Yokosuka the oiler, followed by a poor weather front, steamed into Pearl on 21 October. Five days later, before returning to Long Beach, she replenished Ticonderoga and seven destroyer/minesweeper escorts participating in ASW exercise HUKASWEX 4-70. During this cruise she had serviced 113 ships and delivered 27,739,522 gallons of fuel. After leave and upkeep the oiler reported to Todd Shipyard for a major overhaul.

On 16 April, her first day out of the yard, Caliente suffered a reduction gear failure and immediately returned to Todd Shipyard. With repairs complete on 10 May she loaded fuel and returned to Long Beach. Local exercises and refresher training began in June but were cut short when a boiler became contaminated with fuel oil. Then, after partially cleaning out the boilers, she put into Todd Shipyard on 22 July to repair excessive stern tube leakage. An ill-timed shipyard strike then stranded Caliente in drydock until 19 August. The next day she was towed to the Long Beach Naval Shipyard and repairs commenced on the boilers the drive shaft bearings. Finally, on 1 October, she began refresher training and departed on a WestPac tour 22 October.

On 8 November Caliente refueled DesRon 15, running low on fuel in the empty mid-Pacific, before arriving at Yokosuka on 12 November. After a short UNREP in the Sea of Japan the oiler arrived in Subic Bay, on 2 December. She delivered fuel to Yankee Station on 6 December, refueled amphibs around Subic Bay on 10 December, and departed for her first line swing on 13 December.