While operating 50 km southeast of Morehead City, North Carolina (USA), on 19 July 1981, a Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopter crashed into another CH-53 and a Bell UH-1N Twin Huey on landing.
4 crewmen died and 10 were injured.

Guam deployed to Beirut in 1982 for the Lebanese civil war as part of a multi-national peacekeeping force.

In October 1983, bound for another stint off the coast of Lebanon, she was redirected to the Caribbean to serve as the flagship for Operation Urgent Fury, the invasion of Grenada.
Vice Adm. Joseph P. Metcalf III and his command team of 50 directed the week-long invasion from the flag plot of the Guam, a control center designed to accommodate one quarter than number.
 After operations in Grenada, she continued onto Lebanon with Amphibious Squadron Four/22nd Marine Amphibious Unit embarked, finally returning to CONUS on 1 May 1984.

In early 1985, the ship was drydocked at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and given a massive overhaul lasting several months.
Two Phalanx CIWS were added to the ship at this time.

On January 28, 1986, the USS Guam was off the East Coast of Florida en route to Operational Trials, "Oppies", off of Puerto Rico when, while many crewmen were watching it on TV, the Space Shuttle Challenger blew up nearly immediately above them.
 USS Guam recovered many floating pieces of debris from the disaster, including a nose-cone from one of the booster rockets.
 For her around-the-clock efforts in the recovery mission her crew earned a Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Citation.

May through November 1986 she was deployed on MARG 2-86 in the Mediterranean.
 During this deployment, the ship was damaged while sailing through a tropical storm off the East Coast of the United States while en route to Rota, Spain.
 Gross command error had decided to sail directly through the storm, rather than go around it.
 A sailor on an escort ship was killed in a fall (not verified:https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/NHC/accidents.htm).
 Waves stripped the decking from the fantail, normally 50 ft above the water.
 All personnel were confined to racks for three days due to immense rocking.
At least two helicopters were washed overboard and the ship stayed at port in Toulon, France for almost three weeks for repairs.
While operating 50 km southeast of Morehead City, North Carolina (USA), on 19 July 1981, a Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopter crashed into another CH-53 and a Bell UH-1N Twin Huey on landing. 4 crewmen died and 10 were injured.
Guam deployed to Beirut in 1982 for the Lebanese civil war as part of a multi-national peacekeeping force.
In October 1983, bound for another stint off the coast of Lebanon, she was redirected to the Caribbean to serve as the flagship for Operation Urgent Fury, the invasion of Grenada. Vice Adm. Joseph P. Metcalf III and his command team of 50 directed the week-long invasion from the flag plot of the Guam, a control center designed to accommodate one quarter than number.  After operations in Grenada, she continued onto Lebanon with Amphibious Squadron Four/22nd Marine Amphibious Unit embarked, finally returning to CONUS on 1 May 1984.
In early 1985, the ship was drydocked at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and given a massive overhaul lasting several months. Two Phalanx CIWS were added to the ship at this time.
On January 28, 1986, the USS Guam was off the East Coast of Florida en route to Operational Trials, "Oppies", off of Puerto Rico when, while many crewmen were watching it on TV, the Space Shuttle Challenger blew up nearly immediately above them.  USS Guam recovered many floating pieces of debris from the disaster, including a nose-cone from one of the booster rockets.  For her around-the-clock efforts in the recovery mission her crew earned a Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Citation.
May through November 1986 she was deployed on MARG 2-86 in the Mediterranean.  During this deployment, the ship was damaged while sailing through a tropical storm off the East Coast of the United States while en route to Rota, Spain.  Gross command error had decided to sail directly through the storm, rather than go around it.  A sailor on an escort ship was killed in a fall (not verified:https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/NHC/accidents.htm).  Waves stripped the decking from the fantail, normally 50 ft above the water.  All personnel were confined to racks for three days due to immense rocking. At least two helicopters were washed overboard and the ship stayed at port in Toulon, France for almost three weeks for repairs.
USS Guam (LPH-9)