 The new year, 1972, ushered in "William C. Lawe"'s first yard availability of major proportions since 1968; she was assigned restricted overhaul at the Jacksonville Shipyards, Jacksonville, Florida Upon successful completion of dock trials in late March and refresher training at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the destroyer performed a surveillance mission in the Caribbean until early June.The ship spent the remainder of the summer in upkeep; involvement in Operation "Pinklace", a NATO exercise; and a destroyer development group antisubmarine exercise.In early October, "William C. Lawe" received word of an upcoming Southeast Asian deployment.