USS Noxubee (AOG-56) - 1970-1975

1970-1975

Noxubee departed Pearl Harbor on 18 May 1970 for her new homeport at Little Creek, Virginia and duty with Service Squadron Eight. The trip to the east coast included stops at Long Beach, California, Acapulco, Mexico, and the Panama Canal. Noxubee deployed for five months in the Mediterranean on 28 December 1970 still under the command of LCDR Cass. Her duties centered around Amphibious Task Force 61 with occasional replenishments of other Sixth Fleet ships. She also accomplished one month's surveillance of the Soviet Union Mediterranean Fleet.

Upon return to Little Creek Noxubee undertook a major overhaul at the Brambleton plant of Norfolk Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company. After completion of the overhaul and refresher training, Noxubee again deployed for the Mediterranean. Noxubee refueled ships ranging from LPH to PG types, pumping some 3,881,078 gallons of fuel. In May and July, the ship participated in exercises Dawn Patrol and National Week. Although primarily assigned to service Amphibious Task Force 61, Noxubee re-fueled destroyers throughout the Mediterranean. Port visits included Rota and Barcelona, Spain; Naples, Italy; Athens, Corfu, and Thera, Greece and the French Riviera. Noxubee returned to Little Creek on 14 August.

After returning home the ship provided refueling services to units of the Mine Force off Charleston, South Carolina. On two separate occasions during December 1972 Noxubee was assigned to refuel destroyers on Atlantic Ocean station. During the first half of 1973 Noxubee underwent an RAV (Restricted Availability Period) during which many repairs were made. Upon completion of the RAV the ship conducted underway replenishment operations off the Eastern Coast of the U.S., as well as a refresher training period. These operations included the refueling of four destroyers and ten minesweepers

In 1973, LT Michael Mullen, USN assumed command of Noxubee. Mullen would eventually attain the rank of Admiral, would eventually become Chief of Naval Operations and ultimately the US military's senior ranking officer as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. On 6 June 1973, Noxubee sailed for operations with the Sixth Fleet. During this cruise Noxubee provided support for 55 ships of three nations. Port visits included Istanbul and İzmir Turkey, Athens, Corfu, and Thera, Greece and Naples, Italy. Noxubee returned to Little Creek in November. From December 1973, to May 1974, Noxubee underwent an RAV period.

After a training cruise to Bermuda and the Bahamas, Noxubee departed for the Mediterranean on 4 October 1974 for her final deployment to the Sixth Fleet. Noxubee visited 13 foreign ports and transferred over 5 million gallons of fuel while traveling over 17,000 miles. On 11 April 1975, Noxubee returned to Little Creek, Virginia for the last time.

Over the next ten weeks Noxubee was stripped of all salvageable gear and prepared for decommissioning. The decommissioning ceremony was held at Pier 12 Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Virginia. At 1400 hours 1 July 1975, Noxubee was officially stricken from the list of active US Naval Ships.