"Ashtabula" began 1947 with a cruise to Guam and returned to California on 27 January. For the next two years, she continued operations between the west coast, Hawaii, and the Marshall Islands. This circuit was interrupted by a visit to Ras Tanura and Bahrain in June 1949. The oiler returned to the Orient in October 1948 and once again operated between the west coast and Hawaii from July 1949 until June 1950. During this time, she provided towing services from Pearl Harbor to southern California ports in addition to transporting fuel. On 28 June 1950, "Ashtabula" headed north from Long Beach, California, bound for Alaska. Upon arriving at Dutch Harbor, the ship fueled two survey vessels operating in the area. After a brief stop in Point Barrow, Alaska, she returned to Long Beach on 19 August.