near Catalina and San Clemente Islands. Union stayed within close range of the trawler for 10 days. On 5 June, she was relieved on station by and returned to San Diego. After an administrative inspection, the ship made preparations for overhaul which commenced on 8 July at Pacific Ship Repair, Inc., San Francisco, California. She returned to her home port on 1 October to prepare for refresher training. A month-long refresher training period ended on 1 December and was followed by an amphibious inspection which was completed on 22 December. Union spent the 1967 holiday season moored at her home port. The new year, 1968, began with Union enjoying a leave period which lasted until 26 January. On 1 February, Union departed San Diego for another WestPac deployment. Union arrived at Buckner Bay, Okinawa, on 26 February. She operated off the coast of Vietnam transporting much-needed equipment and ammunition. From 20 to 27 March, the ship participated in Operation "Former Champ" with Nationalist Chinese ships and marines in Taiwan. On 7 April, Union escorted to Subic Bay, Philippines, for engineering repairs. After a brief stop at Yokosuka, Japan, the ship set course for San Diego via Pearl Harbor. Union arrived at her home port on 16 September 1968 after completing a seven-month deployment. Upon returning to San Diego, Union enjoyed a month-long period of leave. On 16 October, she commenced an upkeep period followed by a period of restricted availability which lasted through 30 November. The ship conducted independent ship's exercises before commencing a holiday leave period on 14 December. From 1 January to 1 August 1969, her schedule was filled with all types of operational training, inspections, and upkeep evolutions in the San Diego-San Francisco area. Union conducted training exercises at Acapulco, Mexico, from 14 to 27 April; and, from 17 to 21 June, the ship took part in Exercise "Bell Call," an amphibious operation which included embarkation, withdrawal, movement, demonstration, simultaneous surface and helicopter assault, and subsequent troop exercise ashore. On 1 August 1969, Union departed San Diego en route to Pearl Harbor, thence to Yokosuka, Japan, arriving on 23 August. After a brief upkeep period, she departed on 29 August for Okinawa where she spent three days conducting amphibious exercises. On 5 September, Union got underway for Da Nang, Vietnam. She transported cargo from Da Nang to Okinawa until 19 November when she departed Da Nang for