In August 1973 Piedmont left for its last Westpac before changing home port to Naples. Ports visited were Pearl Harbor Hawaii, Yokosuka Japan, Okinawa, Kaohsiung Taiwan, Hong Kong, Subic Bay Philippines, and Sasebo Japan. Our stay in Kaohsiung was cut short by an approaching typhoon and the Piedmont left port to ride out the storm. After several days at sea the Piedmont pulled into Sasebo. Most of the cruise was spent in Subic doing ship repair on other Westpac ships. The Piedmont was relieved by the Prairie in Yokosuka, Japan and upon leaving was ordered to replenish and refuel destroyers on station off the coast of Russia. After a 7 month cruise the Piedmont arrived back in Long Beach February 1974.