Canaveral, Florida, and then proceeded to her home port for overhaul. Caribbean operations Avenge headed back to the Caribbean in January 1961 for amphibious exercises which lasted well into February. After returning home, she made an unscheduled deployment to the Caribbean in April in response to a political crisis in the Dominican Republic and did not get back to Charleston until August. Thereafter, type training and minesweeping exercises off the South Carolina coast kept her busy through the end of 1961. In January 1962, Avenge operated from Panama City, Florida, providing services for the Naval Mine Defense Laboratory and reported back to her home port in February. Following an overhaul, she returned to Panama City in August. Intensive minesweeping training exercises in company with Mine Division 82 occupied her time in October and November. European operations Early in January 1963, the ship took 19 days to cross the Atlantic due to winter storms as she embarked upon another Mediterranean tour during which she took part in several combined exercises and visited ports in Italy(Naples, La Spezia, Livorno, Augusta Bay), Greece (Kalamata, Thessalonika), and France. Avenge participated in NATO Exercise "Fair Game" before returning to Charleston on 5 June. Following leave and upkeep, she proceeded to Panama City to work with the Naval Mine Defense Laboratory. The minesweeper reported back to Charleston on 20 November and began preparations for a deployment to the Caribbean. Avenge won the Marjorie Sterrett Award as best ship of type in the Atlantic Fleet for 1963. Caribbean tour of duty In February 1964, the vessel began a two-month cruise to the Caribbean, working out of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. She arrived back in Charleston in April for leave and upkeep and then entered the naval shipyard at Charleston in May for repairs which were followed by refresher training and local operations. In late December, Avenge got underway for the Caribbean. She visited Guantanamo Bay; Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico; and Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles. The end of 1964 found Avenge anchored at Frederiksted, Saint Croix, in the American Virgin Islands. Supporting missile test programs During January and February 1965, Avenge operated out of Guantanamo Bay before arriving back at Charleston in March and resuming a full schedule of training exercises and operations. In August, she was part of the Gemini V recovery force off Cape Kennedy, Florida. In early December, the minesweeper took part in an amphibious exercise off Vieques, Puerto Rico, before returning to her home port for the Christmas holidays. In February 1966, the ship was part of the recovery force off Cape Kennedy during tests of the Apollo rocket and returned to Charleston in March and conducted local operations through June. She sailed to Savannah once more in early July for another period of overhaul, and she left the shipyard in September for refresher training in the Norfolk area. Testing minesweep gear The vessel returned to Panama City on 14 January 1967 and helped to test minesweeping gear being developed for use by helicopters. She visited the cities of Tampa, West Palm Beach, and Jacksonville, Florida, in February and arrived back at Charleston on 28 February. After a brief tender availability, Avenge provided services to the Mine Warfare School at Charleston before sailing for Newport, Rhode Island, on 2 May to conduct refresher training. Following a brief visit to Boston, Massachusetts, on 20 May, she arrived in Charleston on 26 May. Repairs at Rota, Spain The minesweeper entered Detyens Shipyard, Wando, South Carolina, on 17 July for alterations. Upon the completion of the modifications and repairs, she prepared for deployment and sailed on 16 August for