On 30 November 1952, while in Sasebo for an availability, "Ashtabula" was damaged by twin explosions caused by acetylene torches which ignited gasoline fumes in her forward hold ( deck log of 11/30/1952). Three sailors were killed, and the forward well deck was seriously damaged, the weather deck curling back towards the superstructure and the port hull blown open to the sea. After three months of work at Sasebo, the ship sailed to Long Beach for further alterations. In September 1953, she returned to the western Pacific (WestPac) and resumed replenishment duties.