On 2 September 1969, "Wood County" proceeded to the Home Brothers Shipyard at Newport News to have the six Cooper Bessemer engines replaced by a like number of Fairbanks-Morse diesels. The work progressed well into the spring of 1970. On 15 June the tank landing ship successfully completed her sea trials and, on the 19th, officially competed her yard period at Newport News. On the 20th, she set out on her two-week shakedown cruise. On Sunday, 21 June," Wood County" sighted a red flare and altered course to investigate. She found that the 36-foot sailboat "Hiro" had been adrift for three days due to a rudder casualty, and she rescued the two occupants. Six days later, "Wood County" performed her second rescue of the week when she hauled on board two men from a small fishing boat which had been the object of a massive search by United States Coast Guard ships and planes for the past three days.