page_title: USS Guadalupe (AO-32)
section_title: World War II
hierarchical_section_title: USS Guadalupe (AO-32) / World War II
caption_attribution_description: The U.S. Navy repair ship USS Ajax (AR-6) repairing the fleet oiler USS Guadalupe (AO-32) at Ulithi, 9 February 1945. The oiler had been damaged in a collision with USS Nantahala (AO-60) on the night of 9–10 January 1945.
context_page_description: USS Guadalupe (AO-32), a Cimarron-class fleet replenishment oiler that served in the United States Navy, it was named for the Guadalupe River in Texas.
context_section_description: In January 1942 Guadalupe sailed to the Pacific, where she was to participate in virtually every major campaign of the long and bloody war. After months of developing and refining techniques for refueling at sea, a science then in its infancy, Guadalupe sailed from Pearl Harbor 2 June 1942 to refuel American ships participating in the momentous Battle of Midway,5 June 1942: 550 miles E of Midway. About 0400 (I), I-156 sights fleet oiler USS GUADALUPE (AO-32) escorted by two destroyers but fails to reach a favorable firing position. Except for I-168, I-156 is the only submarine that makes a contact with the Americans during the battle. the first naval defeat inflicted on the Japanese in 350 years. From Midway Atoll Guadalupe 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, Guadalupe sailed south to spend the final four 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 Guadalupe sailed to the central Pacific to support the Gilbert Islands campaign, working with such famous fighting ships as USS Essex, USS Independence, USS Washington, USS Enterprise, USS Lexington, and USS Yorktown.
  After a late winter overhaul, she returned to the Pacific theater in February 1944 operating in support of Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher's carrier force during the Truk campaign. A short break at Pearl Harbor ended as Guadalupe sailed 11 May to operate in support of the US 5th Fleet during the Marianas campaign. From there she sailed in late August to support Admiral William F. Halsey's US 3rd Fleet in action against the Japanese in the Palau Islands and Philippines operating areas. One of her major tasks was refueling ships during the climactic Battle of Leyte Gulf.
  On 29 December 1944 Guadalupe sailed from Ulithi with units of Task Force 38, then preparing for the invasion of Lingayen Gulf. Joining a fast carrier strike force under Vice Admiral John S. McCain, Sr., Guadalupe steamed through Luzon Strait into the South China Sea on the night of 9–10 January 1945, concurrent with the first invasion waves on Lingayen Gulf. During the transit of the Strait, another tanker, 
  USS Nantahala, collided with Guadalupe, putting a large hole in the bow. Jury-rigged repairs enabled Guadalupe to continue with the fast carrier group – which included Yorktown, USS Cowpens, and USS South Dakota – as 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 two 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, Guadalupe spent three weeks off Okinawa, returned to Ulithi for more fuel, and then spent another three weeks off Okinawa. As the fierce struggle raged for this rockbound island, last step before the Japanese home islands, Guadalupe 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 Guadalupe's service in the Pacific war. She sailed for the States and overhaul 24 May, and was two days out of Pearl Harbor on her way back to the struggle when the Japanese surrender ended the long war on 15 August 1945. From Pearl, Guadalupe went to Jinsen, Korea, where she replenished units of the US 7th Fleet occupying Yellow Sea ports. The tanker sailed for Okinawa 22 October and remained there through 1945.
caption: USS Ajax (AR-6) repairing Guadalupe at Ulithi, 9 February 1945.
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