She was named for Lieutenant Colonel Harold William Bauer, naval aviator and recipient of the Medal of Honor for extraordinary heroism and conspicuous courage as Commander of Marine Fighting Squadron 212 in the South Pacific between 10 May and 14 November 1942.

Built as a mobilization test platform, Bauer was designed to meet the mass production requirements that a war with the Soviet Union might generate and to counter the growing threat from advanced Russian submarines.

For the next five months, the destroyer escort cruised western Pacific waters, visiting ports in Japan, the Philippines, and Taiwan, before returning to San Diego on 4 December.

This included offering tours of the vessel to civilians, contributing to local charities, and participating in competitive sports with members of foreign military units.

In mid-October, Bauer visited Tacloban City, in the Philippines, for the anniversary celebration of the Leyte landings on 20 October 1944 during World War II.

Normal training, including weapons firing drills and sonar tracking exercises, continued until 1 July when the warship was assigned to the newly formed CortDiv 31.

Together with her sister ships Evans, Bridget, and Hooper, Bauer continued to practice submarine hunting and to test new tactics and equipment out of San Diego.

Drills with submarines, such as a mid-January 1962 sonar training exercise with Redfish and Queenfish, kept her busy until 6 March when she entered drydock at the Naval Repair Facility, San Diego.

Over the next several months, the warship held sonar tracking exercises with nuclear submarine Scamp and provided underway services for the antisubmarine warfare support carrier Yorktown in September.

In February and March, the warship patrolled in the South China Sea before joining the nuclear submarine Swordfish on 9 April for tracking exercises in Philippine waters.

Taking up a position at "Yankee Station" on 11 August, the warship provided ASW protection for the growing number of US carriers operating in the South China Sea.

In mid-June, following a sonar project for the Fleet ASW School, the destroyer escort began preparations for a drydock period at Long Beach Naval Shipyard.

Underway the next day, Bauer commenced refresher training and remained so employed until 11 January 1966 when she returned to Long Beach Naval Shipyard for modifications.

Following leave and upkeep, the warship conducted local training operations, including a few DASH flights, until 5 September when she sailed for Alaskan waters.

In January 1969, Bauer participated in Exercise "Bellcurve", during which she conducted raider surface attacks against an ASW task group, before resuming reservist training out of San Diego.

In April, the warship embarked two groups of naval reservists for active duty training; and, in early May, the destroyer escort conducted ASW exercises for the Pacific Fleet Anti-Submarine Warfare School.

With repairs and alterations complete on 26 August, Bauer returned to reserve training out of San Diego, which occupied her time through the end of the year and into 1970.

Material deficiencies such as inadequate communications systems, worn out machinery, and poor habitability, combined with a lack of environmental and crew safety gear, led to a recommendation for disposal.

After a possible Military Assistance Program transfer to the Turkish Navy was cancelled, she was sold for scrap to the National Metal & Steel Corp., Terminal Island, California, on 22 August 1974.