Blakely spent the remainder of the year fitting out, conducting post-commissioning trials, and making her shakedown cruise.

During that extended repair period, her Sea Sparrow basic point defense surface missile system launcher was installed.

Between 4 and 11 August, the ocean escort made a round-trip voyage to the Atlantic Fleet Weapons Range for missile and gunfire qualification.

During that time, Blakely conducted type training, individual ship's drills, and fleet exercises along the eastern seaboard and in the West Indies.

Steaming via the Panama Canal and Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, she arrived at Subic Bay in the Philippines on 7 January 1973.

Her tour of duty in the Far East came at the very end of American participation in the Vietnam War; and, as a consequence, she served only once in the combat zone.

After calls at Hong Kong, Yokosuka in Japan, San Diego, and Panama, she arrived back at Charleston on 23 March.

Her main propulsion plant was converted to use Navy distillate fuel, and the light airborne multipurpose system (LAMPS) was installed.

Blakely returned to Charleston from the readiness exercise on 8 May and began preparations for her first tour of duty with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean Sea.

In addition to the usual exercises and port visits, she took part in evacuation operations conducted at Cyprus in July after strife broke out between the Turkish and Greek factions on that island.

In August, she resumed the usual 6th Fleet duty and remained so occupied until relieved by USS Blandy at Gibraltar on 23 November.

Blakely arrived back in Charleston on 5 December and began a combination post deployment and holiday standdown.

The warship got underway for the first time in 1975 on 18 February to conduct independent ship's exercises, to take part in carrier qualifications with John F. Kennedy, and to undergo an operational readiness inspection.

Blakely remained so occupied until 2 June, when she entered the Charleston Naval Shipyard for a restricted availability followed immediately by a regular overhaul.

On 4 April, Blakely stood out of Charleston to join a Europe-bound task force built around USS Forrestal.

For the next five months, she put to sea repeatedly—usually to participate in helicopter deck landing qualifications, but also to conduct naval gunfire support training and other single-ship exercises.

On 12 January 1981, Blakely got underway in company with Tattnall bound ultimately for duty with the Middle East Force in the Indian Ocean.

After additional stops at Ponta Delgada in the Azores and at Bermuda, the frigate arrived in Charleston on 18 June.