In commission from 1949 until 1956, she saw active service in the Korean War, and was sold to Portugal in 1961 to serve as NRP Dom Francisco de Almeida until 1970.

The ship was originally ordered from William Pickersgill & Sons Ltd. of Southwick, Sunderland, on 19 January 1943 as the Loch-class frigate Loch Heilen.

[1] On the outbreak of the Korean War in June 1950 Morecambe Bay was nominated for service with the United Nations Naval Task Force based at Sasebo, Japan.

[1] In June Morecambe Bay began her second operational tour off Korea, supporting raids by Korean troops in the Haeju and Chojin area.

In July she was attached to United States Navy Task Group 95.12 to assist in bombardments off the east coast of Korea supporting allied troops ashore, receiving a congratulatory signal from the Commander of the U.S. 7th Fleet Vice Admiral Harold M. Martin.

In February she sailed to Sasebo for her third operational UN tour, deployed with CTG 95.22 in the Sonjin and Chojin areas off the east coast.

[1] In January 1954 she was deployed in operations and patrols off Malaya, taking part in fleet exercises in February, before sailing to Hong Kong for maintenance, and a new CO, Commander A.C. Tupper.

In October and November she visited various Caribbean island ports, then in December she took part in joint exercises with the cruiser HMS Kenya and ships of the United States.

[1] The year 1956 was spent in an extensive series of visits to ports in Central America, and of the United States, as well as a major multi-national exercise in June with USN, RN, Canadian and Dutch ships.