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USS Meyerkord (FF 1058)

USS MEYERKORD was the seventh KNOX - class frigate and the first ship in the Navy named after Lt. Harold Dale Meyerkord. Decommissioned on December 14, 1991, and stricken from the Navy list on January 11, 1995, the MEYERKORD transferred to the Maritime Administration for scrapping on 3 August 1996. Scrapping was finished on December 15, 2001.

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Crew List:

This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard USS MEYERKORD. It is no official listing but contains the names of sailors who submitted their information.

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• Click here to see which USS MEYERKORD memorabilia are currently for sale on ebay.

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USS MEYERKORD Cruise Books:

• WestPac Cruise Book 1987

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USS MEYERKORD's Commanding Officers:

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About the Ship's Name:

Lt. Harold Dale Meyerkord, born 9 October 1937 at St. Louis, Mo., graduated from Navy Officer Candidate School, Newport, R.I., 14 June 1960 and was assigned to heavy cruiser LOS ANGELES (CA 135). He reported to the U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, 13 July 1964.

He was Senior Naval Adviser to the South Vietnamese 23rd River Assault Group, responsible for suppressing Vietcong terror in South Vietnam’s “rice bowl”; the group probed the Delta waterways, engaging Vietcong guerrillas in operations in which Lieutenant Meyerkord distinguished himself for coolness, resourcefulness, and concern for his men.

While leading his assault group into Vietcong-held territory 16 March 1965, Lieutenant Meyerkord’s patrol was ambushed. Though wounded, he steadfastly returned the enemy’s fire until hit again, this time mortally. Lieutenant Meyerkord’s heroism was recognized by posthumous award of the Navy Cross. He was also awarded the Air Medal for completing 20 low-level aerial reconnaissance missions under enemy fire.

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USS MEYERKORD History:

The construction contract for USS MEYERKORD was awarded to Todd Shipyards Corporation on July 22, 1964. Her keel was laid at the company's Los Angeles Division yard at San Pedro, California, on September 1, 1966. She was launched and christened on July 15, 1967, jointly sponsored by Mrs. Harold Dale Meyerkord, the lieutenant's widow, and Mrs. Harold E. Meyerkord, his mother. Construction, machinery installation, fitting-out, and combat-system work continued for more than two years after launching. She was photographed waterborne at the San Pedro yard on November 21, 1969, during the final phase of preparation for delivery. USS MEYERKORD was commissioned at Long Beach Naval Shipyard on November 28, 1969, with Commander John A. Baldwin Jr. in command. She was assigned to Destroyer Squadron 23 and Destroyer Division 231 and was initially homeported at Long Beach, California.

The opening months of 1970 were devoted to fitting-out, sea trials, inspections, weapons checks, and training in the Southern California operating areas. The newly assembled crew had to qualify in engineering operations, navigation, communications, damage control, gunnery, sonar work, replenishment at sea, and the routines required to sustain a steam-powered escort during prolonged operations. Shakedown and post-shakedown work were followed by fleet exercises intended to integrate MEYERKORD into the Pacific antisubmarine force.

During September 1970, MEYERKORD operated in a multinational exercise with ships that included USS BRONSTEIN (DE 1037), USS JAMES E. KYES (DD 787), the Canadian destroyer escorts HMCS ST. CROIX (DDE 256) and HMCS YUKON (DDE 263), and other participating surface and air units. The exercise was one of several fleet and hunter-killer antisubmarine events completed during her first full year of service. These operations gave the crew experience in coordinating sonar search plans, maneuvering in a screen, exchanging tactical information, and responding to simulated submarine contacts.

Early in January 1971, MEYERKORD proceeded from Long Beach toward Hawaiian waters with elements of Destroyer Squadron 23. The participating force assembled around USS TICONDEROGA (CVS 14) and included USS JOHN S. McCAIN (DDG 36), USS SCHOFIELD (DEG 3), BRONSTEIN, and JAMES E. KYES. From January 15 through January 25, the ships participated in the hunter-killer antisubmarine exercise Uptide 2E. TICONDEROGA served as the aviation center of the group, while the escorts used their sonars and coordinated with carrier-based and shore-based aircraft against participating submarines. This Hawaiian exercise was part of the preparation for MEYERKORD's first western Pacific deployment but was separate from the deployment itself.

MEYERKORD departed Long Beach with the TICONDEROGA antisubmarine warfare group on March 11, 1971. The force reached Pearl Harbor on March 17 and remained in Hawaiian waters for final briefings, replenishment, and training before continuing west. During the crossing, the ships maintained antisubmarine patrols and exercised communications, tactical maneuvering, and replenishment procedures. The group operated in the Philippine Sea late in March and conducted additional antisubmarine work while approaching Southeast Asia. MEYERKORD reached Subic Bay in the Philippines on April 7 and remained there until April 11. Subic Bay was the principal United States Navy repair, ammunition, logistics, and staging facility in the western Pacific and supported ships assigned to operations off Vietnam as well as those moving between the South China Sea, Indian Ocean, and waters near Japan.

After leaving Subic Bay, the group steamed southwest. It crossed the equator on April 15 and stopped at Singapore for fuel on April 16. From April 19 through April 23, the force conducted an antisubmarine exercise in the Indian Ocean and Andaman Sea. USS CAIMAN (SS 323) acted as an opposing submarine, while maritime patrol aircraft operating from Thailand supported the surface ships. The exercise tested long-range sonar search procedures and the coordination of aircraft and surface escorts in tropical waters that differed considerably from the operating conditions encountered near Hawaii or California.

On April 24, the ships passed through the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra. MEYERKORD joined BRONSTEIN, TICONDEROGA, SCHOFIELD, and JOHN S. McCAIN in a memorial ceremony for USS HOUSTON (CA 30) and the Australian cruiser HMAS PERTH (D 29), which had been sunk in the strait during the Battle of Sunda Strait on the night of February 28-March 1, 1942. The formation then continued toward Singapore, where the ships remained from April 26 through April 30.

The group next proceeded through the South China Sea to Hong Kong. MEYERKORD visited the British colony from May 5 through May 11 before returning to sea. The force subsequently operated in waters associated with the Gulf of Tonkin and carried out antisubmarine surveillance and carrier-support work before turning north toward Japan. MEYERKORD arrived at Yokosuka on May 18 and remained there through May 25. She then participated in Antisubmarine Warfare Exercise 3-71 in the Sea of Japan from May 26 through June 4. American and Japanese naval units took part, and both United States and Japanese submarines provided targets for the surface ships and aircraft. The exercise reflected the importance placed on protecting the sea routes around Japan and monitoring the approaches used by Soviet Pacific Fleet submarines. The frigate visited Sasebo from June 6 through June 14 and then began the return passage across the Pacific. She returned to Long Beach at the conclusion of the deployment in early July. Commander Wayne L. Chadick relieved Commander Baldwin on July 23.

In late August 1971, MEYERKORD's home port shifted from Long Beach to San Diego as part of the relocation of Destroyer Squadron 23. Training resumed after the post-deployment standdown. From September 8 through September 16, she participated in a fleet operational evaluation with TICONDEROGA, JOHN S. McCAIN, JAMES E. KYES, and USS GRIDLEY (DLG 21).

Another large antisubmarine exercise, Uptide 3A, followed from September 29 through October 7. The participating force included TICONDEROGA, USS ALBERT DAVID (DE 1050), USS ROARK (DE 1053), JOHN S. McCAIN, USS CLEVELAND (LPD 7), USS MANATEE (AO 58), USS FRANCIS HAMMOND (DE 1067), USS HEPBURN (DE 1055), and MEYERKORD. The opposing units included USS TURNER JOY (DD 951), USS EVERETT F. LARSON (DD 830), USS SNOOK (SSN 592), and USS SCULPIN (SSN 590). The event tested the ability of a carrier-based antisubmarine group to search a large ocean area, classify contacts, maintain a coordinated screen, and protect an amphibious or logistics force against nuclear-powered submarines.

During the first half of 1972, MEYERKORD completed maintenance, inspections, weapons training, and deployment preparations. Commander Robert J. Kerrigan relieved Commander Chadick on July 15. Ten days later, on July 25, MEYERKORD sailed for the western Pacific in company with USS WILTSIE (DD 716) and USS LANG (DE 1060). The ships crossed the Pacific by way of Pearl Harbor, Midway Island, and Guam and arrived at Subic Bay on August 16. The deployment took place during the final major phase of the Vietnam War. North Vietnam's Easter Offensive had begun in March 1972, and the United States responded with expanded carrier air operations, naval gunfire support, mine warfare, reconnaissance, search and rescue, and attacks against transportation and supply systems. After completing initial upkeep and operational preparations at Subic Bay, MEYERKORD was assigned independently to naval gunfire-support duties off Vietnam.

During three separate gunfire-support periods, MEYERKORD operated as a mutual-support destroyer escort. In this role, she remained available to support friendly forces ashore, maintain communications with naval gunfire liaison personnel, and provide assistance to another surface combatant if either ship encountered enemy fire, mechanical difficulty, or another emergency. Her 5-inch gun was used during missions along the Vietnamese coast, while the ship also maintained air, surface, and submarine surveillance. MEYERKORD also carried out plane-guard and screening assignments connected with aircraft carrier operations on Yankee Station in the Gulf of Tonkin. Plane-guard duty required the escort to steam behind or near the carrier during flight operations so that it could respond rapidly if an aircraft crashed or a crew had to abandon an aircraft near the ship. At the same time, MEYERKORD contributed sonar coverage, radar surveillance, and an additional defensive platform to the carrier formation.

The ship was photographed in the Gulf of Tonkin during October 1972 and was underway in the Pacific on October 20. During the deployment, she also conducted underway replenishment with USS PASSUMPSIC (AO 107). Fuel, stores, ammunition, and mail transfers at sea allowed MEYERKORD to remain in the operational area without returning frequently to port.

American offensive operations continued through the final months of 1972. The Paris Peace Accords were signed on January 27, 1973, ending direct United States combat operations against North Vietnam and establishing a ceasefire, although fighting between North and South Vietnam continued. MEYERKORD completed her Vietnam-era assignment and returned to the United States during the opening part of 1973.

During January 1973, MEYERKORD underwent an emergency yard period in Floating Dry Dock No. 2 at Northwest Marine Iron Works on Swan Island in Portland, Oregon. Work included attention to the underwater hull, which received an epoxy coating below the waterline. On March 5, 1973, MEYERKORD was reassigned from Destroyer Squadron 23 to Destroyer Squadron 17 at San Diego. Local operations during the spring included engineering work, antisubmarine training, weapons qualification, helicopter exercises, and material inspections. In June, she visited Portland during the city's Rose Festival, combining a public port visit with naval representation and crew liberty. Commander Alan T. Isaacson relieved Commander Kerrigan on September 8, 1973. On October 16, MEYERKORD began her first regular overhaul at Long Beach Naval Shipyard. The yard period extended into 1974 and included work on the propulsion plant, hull, sonar, communications systems, weapons, electrical equipment, and auxiliary machinery. The overhaul also altered the ship's combat capabilities. The aft aviation facilities were enlarged and adapted for regular operation of the manned SH-2 Seasprite helicopter. A Basic Point Defense Missile System using Sea Sparrow missiles was installed to provide limited close-range defense against aircraft and antiship missiles. Sonar and other electronic equipment received maintenance or modernization, while habitability and support spaces were repaired or renewed.

Following completion of the overhaul, MEYERKORD conducted dock trials, sea trials, and refresher training. Engineering systems opened or altered during the yard period had to be tested under load, while the crew rebuilt proficiency in navigation, damage control, sonar operations, gunnery, communications, aviation support, and replenishment at sea. The remainder of 1974 was spent restoring deployment readiness and preparing for another western Pacific cruise.

MEYERKORD departed San Diego on January 3, 1975. Her deployment coincided with the final collapse of the governments of Cambodia and South Vietnam and with the largest American naval evacuation operations conducted in Southeast Asia since the end of direct United States combat involvement. On January 27, 1975, MEYERKORD encountered the Panamanian-flagged freighter GULF BANKER in distress in the South China Sea. The frigate rescued all 31 members of the merchant ship's crew. GULF BANKER subsequently sank, and MEYERKORD remained in the area long enough to ensure that all survivors had been accounted for.

During March, MEYERKORD operated in the Gulf of Siam with amphibious and logistics forces preparing for the possible evacuation of Phnom Penh. She was photographed during a replenishment involving a formation built around USS OKINAWA (LPH 3), USS VANCOUVER (LPD 2), USS RAMSEY (DEG 2), and USS VEGA (AF 59). On April 12, 1975, MEYERKORD participated in Operation Eagle Pull, the evacuation of Phnom Penh as Khmer Rouge forces closed on the Cambodian capital. Marine helicopters evacuated 276 people, including 82 United States citizens, from a landing zone near the American embassy to the waiting ships. MEYERKORD served as part of the surface screen and support organization protecting the amphibious and aviation units engaged in the evacuation.

As the situation in South Vietnam deteriorated, the Seventh Fleet assembled another large force off the coast for Operation Frequent Wind. During the evacuation on April 29 and April 30, MEYERKORD supported the wider naval force assembled off South Vietnam by providing escort, surveillance, communications, and screening capability. She was not one of the principal helicopter-recovery ships. South Vietnam surrendered on April 30, ending the war. The evacuation was followed by the movement of tens of thousands of refugees through American bases in the western Pacific. Subic Bay and Guam became major staging and reception centers. Members of the crews of deployed naval ships assisted with the extensive logistics and humanitarian work associated with the refugee movement.

During June 1975, MEYERKORD visited Hong Kong. After June 20, she operated locally from Subic Bay as part of Task Unit 75.4.1. The formation included GRIDLEY, USS HORNE (DLG 30), BRONSTEIN, LANG, and USS KAWISHIWI (AO 146). The ships conducted tactical maneuvering, antisubmarine exercises, communications drills, surface training, and replenishment work in the waters near the Philippines.

On June 30, 1975, the Navy redesignated MEYERKORD from destroyer escort DE 1058 to frigate FF 1058 as part of a fleet-wide reclassification.

Commander Malvin D. Bruce relieved Commander Isaacson on July 1. MEYERKORD completed additional Seventh Fleet operations, including training with the Royal Thai Navy and fleet towing exercises, before returning to San Diego in August 1975. Maintenance and repairs were followed in November by an extensive inspection and training cycle intended to prepare the ship for her next deployment.

MEYERKORD departed San Diego on May 22, 1976. During the following seven months, she carried out special surveillance missions, antisubmarine exercises, naval gunfire training, Marine support exercises, carrier-task-group operations, and port visits connected with the Navy's overseas-presence and diplomatic program. A major regional crisis developed in August. On August 18, North Korean soldiers killed two United States Army officers in the Joint Security Area of the Korean Demilitarized Zone during a dispute over the trimming of a tree that obstructed observation between United Nations Command positions. The United States and South Korea responded with Operation Paul Bunyan on August 21, sending an armed engineering force to remove the tree while air and ground units maintained a high state of readiness.

The United States Seventh Fleet ordered the carrier force centered on USS MIDWAY (CV 41) to sea from Yokosuka. The force included GRIDLEY, USS COCHRANE (DDG 21), USS KIRK (FF 1087), MEYERKORD, LANG, USS LOCKWOOD (FF 1064), USS ASHTABULA (AO 51), and USNS MISPILLION (T-AO 105). The ships moved into the Sea of Japan while American and South Korean forces conducted the operation ashore. North Korea did not attempt to interfere with the removal of the tree, and the immediate confrontation ended without further combat. The remainder of MEYERKORD's cruise included continued surveillance, antisubmarine training, carrier support, naval gunfire exercises, and representational port calls. She returned to San Diego on December 21, 1976.

During 1977, MEYERKORD remained active in eastern Pacific fleet exercises and local training. Her schedule also included port visits to Portland and Seattle, as well as visits to Mexico and Canada. Commander Edward M. Minugh relieved Commander Bruce on July 1. The ship's engineering and combat systems were approaching the point at which a major industrial period was required, and the latter portion of the year included planning and preparation for an extensive overhaul. In January 1978, MEYERKORD entered Northwest Marine Iron Works at Swan Island in Portland. The initial overhaul contract was valued at approximately 8.8 million dollars and called for about ten months of work, with completion originally projected for November. The full yard, testing, and reactivation cycle ultimately occupied the ship into early 1979.

MEYERKORD spent approximately two months in dry dock. The yard repaired and preserved the hull, inspected underwater fittings, and worked on the propeller, shaft, sea connections, tanks, and other systems normally inaccessible while the ship was afloat. Communications, radar, sonar, weapons, and associated electronic equipment were repaired or improved. The boilers, turbine, generators, electrical distribution system, auxiliary machinery, and habitability spaces also received extensive attention. After leaving the yard, MEYERKORD underwent dock trials, sea trials, combat-system checks, and engineering examinations. The crew then completed refresher work to restore operational proficiency after the long period away from normal steaming. The process continued into early 1979. On April 24, 1979, MEYERKORD was photographed underway after completing her overhaul and subsequent reactivation work. During May, she operated in the Puget Sound area.

Commander Frederick J. Vollmar relieved Commander Minugh on October 22, 1979. The remainder of the year was devoted to local operations, inspections, weapons work, and preparation for another western Pacific deployment. MEYERKORD began her 1980 deployment with operations associated with the multinational Rim of the Pacific exercise in Hawaiian waters. The exercise brought together ships, submarines, and aircraft from the United States and allied navies for coordinated air, surface, and antisubmarine training. By April 7, MEYERKORD was at Pearl Harbor with USS MERRILL (DD 976). The two ships departed Hawaiian waters on April 10 and continued west, stopping at Guam for fuel on April 21. On April 27 and April 28, they conducted a passing exercise with ships of the Royal New Zealand Navy while approaching the Philippines.

MEYERKORD arrived at Subic Bay on April 29 and remained there through May 12 for upkeep, logistics, and operational preparation. On May 13 and May 14, she participated in Exercise Sea of Siam XI in the South China Sea. The event included antisubmarine and surface training and reflected continuing American naval cooperation with regional allies after the withdrawal from Vietnam. The frigate subsequently proceeded toward Yokosuka. From May 20 through June 6, MEYERKORD participated in the first phase of a Chief of Naval Operations project intended to collect data for the development and evaluation of long-range surface targeting techniques. The work examined how surface ships could locate, classify, track, and develop firing information against distant vessels while limiting their own electronic emissions.

On July 11, 1980, MEYERKORD collided with the Japanese freighter SENSHO MARU in dense fog off Japan. She entered Yokosuka on July 13 for repairs and remained there until August 5. Commander Edward S. Finn relieved Commander Vollmar on August 2 while the ship was still undergoing repairs at Yokosuka. After returning to sea, MEYERKORD resumed Seventh Fleet duties.

During September, MEYERKORD participated in Operation Dakota Run in the Sea of Okhotsk with MERRILL and USS JOSEPH STRAUSS (DDG 16). The operation included a special surveillance period from approximately September 14 through September 24. The Sea of Okhotsk was of particular Cold War importance because it bordered the Soviet Far East and provided operating areas and protected approaches used by Soviet Pacific Fleet submarines and surface vessels. American ships entering or approaching the area were closely monitored by Soviet forces.

MEYERKORD returned to Yokosuka after the operation and departed on September 26 in company with MERRILL. The ships rendezvoused with the battle group centered on USS CONSTELLATION (CV 64) and began the eastbound passage. They reached Hawaiian waters early in October, and MEYERKORD returned to San Diego during the middle of the month. During 1981, MEYERKORD completed maintenance, inspections, local exercises, helicopter qualifications, antisubmarine training, and preparations for another extended cruise. She deployed again in October 1981 and subsequently operated in the western Pacific and Indian Ocean.

From late 1981 into the spring of 1982, MEYERKORD operated with American carrier and surface forces maintaining a naval presence in the Indian Ocean. At different stages of the deployment, she was associated with forces centered on CONSTELLATION and USS JOHN F. KENNEDY (CV 67). The sustained carrier presence reflected the strategic conditions created by the Iranian Revolution, the continuing Iran-Iraq War, the Soviet military presence in Afghanistan, and American concern over access to the Persian Gulf and the oil routes crossing the Arabian Sea. As an escort, MEYERKORD carried out antisubmarine screening, surface surveillance, plane-guard readiness, electronic monitoring, and replenishment operations. The long periods between major logistics bases required frequent underway refueling and close coordination with oilers and supply ships. MEYERKORD returned to San Diego in May 1982. Commander William D. Center relieved Commander Finn on August 28. The remainder of the year consisted of post-deployment upkeep, inspections, local training, and preparation for the following year's operations.

Early in 1983, MEYERKORD participated in major readiness exercises off the West Coast. During Readiness Exercise 83-3, she trained with a force that included USS ELLIOT (DD 967), USS BADGER (FF 1071), USS CALLAGHAN (DDG 994), USS BROOKE (FFG 1), BAGLEY (FF 1069), USS JOHN A. MOORE (FFG 19), COCHRANE, and other surface, submarine, and aviation units. The exercises tested antisubmarine, antisurface, and antiaircraft procedures and prepared the ships for overseas deployment.

MEYERKORD departed San Diego on June 9, 1983, with USS NEW JERSEY (BB 62) and other ships assigned to Destroyer Squadron 17. She spent approximately one week in Hawaiian waters during the middle of June with BAGLEY and JOHN A. MOORE before the ships resumed the westward passage on June 17. They entered the operational control of the Seventh Fleet on June 27 and reached Manila on July 4. On July 4, MEYERKORD operated in the South China Sea with a formation that included MIDWAY, NEW JERSEY, FRANCIS HAMMOND, JOHN A. MOORE, and MISPILLION. During the following months, the frigate participated in exercises with forces centered on MIDWAY and carried out antisubmarine screening, surface surveillance, tactical maneuvering, aviation support, and underway replenishment. The deployment included visits to Manila, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Sasebo. Ships of the group also operated near Thailand, in Korean waters, around Guam, and from the principal Seventh Fleet bases at Subic Bay and Yokosuka. At another stage of the cruise, changing operational requirements took NEW JERSEY to other commitments and sent MEYERKORD into the Indian Ocean to operate with the battle group centered on USS CARL VINSON (CVN 70).

On September 1, 1983, a Soviet fighter shot down Korean Air Lines Flight 007 after the civilian Boeing 747 entered prohibited Soviet airspace near Sakhalin Island. All 269 people aboard were killed. The incident produced a major international confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union and led to an extensive search for wreckage and the aircraft's flight recorders. United States naval units organized under Task Force 71 searched international waters north of Moneron Island and west of Sakhalin. Among the American ships participating at various stages of the search and salvage effort were ELLIOT, BADGER, CALLAGHAN, USS TOWERS (DDG 9), BROOKE, MEYERKORD, and USS WICHITA (AOR 1). The composition of the force and the tactical command arrangements changed during the operation as ships entered and left the search area.

MEYERKORD participated in the search and salvage operation from October 14 through November 5. The effort concentrated on a restricted area where depth, weather, currents, and the presence of Soviet ships complicated the operation. Soviet vessels conducted their own search and closely observed the American and Japanese ships. The United States units remained in international waters after Soviet authorities refused requests for access to the principal crash area. The ships conducted carefully plotted search patterns and monitored the movements of nearby Soviet units in cold and difficult operating conditions. The operation recovered wreckage and personal effects. MEYERKORD subsequently received a Meritorious Unit Commendation for her participation. After completing the Flight 007 search assignment, MEYERKORD resumed the homeward sequence through western Pacific ports. She departed the western Pacific at the beginning of December, stopped briefly at Pearl Harbor, and returned to San Diego on December 12, 1983.

The ship then prepared for another major overhaul, which began at Long Beach in March 1984. Commander Larry L. King relieved Commander Center on July 14 while the industrial period was in progress. The overhaul included work on the boilers, turbine, electrical plant, hull, sonar, weapons, communications, electronics, auxiliary systems, and crew spaces. During the mid-1980s modernization cycle, the manually operated Sea Sparrow launcher on the fantail was removed and replaced by the radar-directed Phalanx close-in weapon system. The rapid-fire 20-millimeter gun provided an automated final layer of defense against aircraft and antiship missiles. The ship also retained the Harpoon capability incorporated into the modified antisubmarine rocket launcher and associated fire-control arrangements.

Following the overhaul, MEYERKORD completed trials, engineering examinations, combat-system checks, and refresher training. During 1985 and 1986, she operated primarily in the eastern Pacific, completing fleet exercises, antisubmarine training, helicopter work, weapons qualifications, inspections, and maintenance periods. Her performance during the period from January 1, 1985, through June 30, 1986, resulted in the award of a Navy Battle Efficiency "E". Commander Peter J. Gaskin II relieved Commander King on August 23, 1986. The remainder of the year included workups and preparations for MEYERKORD's next western Pacific deployment.

The frigate departed San Diego on May 12, 1987. Her cruise took place during the final years of the Cold War, when the United States Navy continued to monitor Soviet Pacific Fleet activity while maintaining close operational relationships with Japan, South Korea, Australia, the Philippines, and other regional partners. MEYERKORD's documented ports during the deployment included Pearl Harbor; Subic Bay and Manila in the Philippines; Yokosuka and Kure in Japan; Pusan in South Korea; Singapore; Albany and Darwin in Australia; and Hong Kong. The wide geographical range of the itinerary took the ship through the central Pacific, Philippine Sea, South China Sea, waters around Japan and Korea, the approaches to Southeast Asia, and the eastern Indian Ocean. The cruise combined antisubmarine and surface-warfare training, carrier and task-group support, tactical maneuvering, aviation operations, weapons exercises, surveillance, and underway replenishment. Calls in Japan and South Korea supported cooperation with regional allies, while the Australian phase provided training and naval contact in the southern part of the western Pacific operating area. The voyage also required recurring periods of maintenance at Subic Bay and Yokosuka. MEYERKORD completed the deployment and returned to San Diego on November 12, 1987.

During 1988, the ship resumed eastern Pacific operations, inspections, weapons work, reserve training support, and maintenance. Commander Dewey L. Whitmire relieved Commander Gaskin on December 10. MEYERKORD received another Navy Battle Efficiency "E" for the competitive period extending from January 1, 1988, through June 30, 1989. The international situation was changing rapidly. Relations between the United States and the Soviet Union improved during the second half of the 1980s, and arms-control agreements, political reforms in the Soviet Union, and reductions in naval activity began to alter the strategic assumptions under which the KNOX-class had been designed. At the same time, the Navy was reducing the operating cost of older steam-powered ships by transferring selected frigates to the Naval Reserve Force.

On September 30, 1989, MEYERKORD was transferred from the active fleet to the Naval Reserve Force at San Diego. She remained commissioned and capable of operating at sea but was manned by a reduced active-duty nucleus supplemented by drilling reservists. The active-duty personnel maintained the ship, conducted daily administration, and trained reservists who reported aboard for regular drills and periods of active duty. In March 1990, MEYERKORD was reassigned to Surface Squadron 3 at Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay. The move placed her with other Pacific reserve units and closer to a large population of reserve personnel in Northern California. Her activities during 1990 consisted primarily of reserve training cruises, local operations, engineering drills, navigation, weapons qualifications, inspections, and maintenance.

On February 1, 1991, MEYERKORD departed Pearl Harbor during one of her final documented reserve-training cruises. On June 6, she was at Portland for the Rose Festival. The Portland visit was among her final documented public appearances before decommissioning. Commander William J. Sweet relieved Commander Whitmire on July 10 and became MEYERKORD's final commanding officer. During the second half of 1991, the ship's operating schedule was progressively reduced as the crew prepared her for removal from service. Ammunition, classified material, records, spare parts, stores, and reusable equipment were removed or transferred. Machinery, tanks, piping, weapons, electronics, and internal spaces were inspected and preserved for inactive custody. Active-duty and reserve personnel were transferred to other commands or released from their assignments as the decommissioning date approached.

USS MEYERKORD was decommissioned at Naval Station Treasure Island on December 14, 1991, after 22 years and approximately two weeks of commissioned service. After decommissioning, MEYERKORD remained in United States government custody. She was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on January 11, 1995. On August 3, 1996, custody was transferred to the United States Maritime Administration for disposal. On December 14, 2000, a contract valued at approximately 2.9 million dollars was awarded to the Ship Dismantling and Recycling Joint Venture for the towing and dismantling of MEYERKORD and associated vessels. The former frigate was removed from Navy custody on January 30, 2001. Her dismantling was completed during 2001.

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