From: Dictionary of American Fighting Ships

The name Gardoqui (q. v.), carried in the U.S. Navy by a Spanish gunboat captured during the Spanish-American War, was erroneously spelled Guardoqui when assigned to IX-218.

(IX - 218: dp. 15,665; l. 510'6"; b. 68'; s. 10 k.; cpl. 70)

Guardoqui (IX-218), ex-E. T. Bedford, was built in 1921 by the Federal Ship Building Co., Kearny, N.J.; acquired from the WSA and commissioned at Pearl Harbor 23 June 1945, Lt. Harold L. Tysinger in command.

A tanker originally intended for use as Mobile Floating Storage, Guardoqui departed Pearl Harbor for Eniwetok 27 July 1945. Reaching her destination 12 August, she discharged her cargo of fuel and lube oil to navy and merchant ships for almost a month. Guardoqui departed Eniwetok 7 September and put in at Tokyo 21 September to discharge more lube and fuel oil.

Departing Tokyo 7 November, she transited the Panama Canal via Pearl Harbor 28 December and came to anchor off Mobile, Ala., 6 January 1946. Guardoqui decommissioned at Mobile 13 February 1946 and was returned to the WSA. Her name was struck from the Navy List 12 April 1946 and she was sold to her previous owner, E. T. Bedford, 28 January 1947.

Transcribed by Yves HUBERT (hubertypc@aol.com)