In early September 1983, United States Marines at the Beirut International Airport came under artillery fire.

Bowen's action received international media attention as the ship became the first warship to engage in hostile fire in the Mediterranean Sea since World War II.

In early October 1983, after one month on the "Gun Line", Bowen was relieved by the battleship USS New Jersey.

The successful program led to women being assigned to "Man of War" ships throughout the fleets.

Bowen was decommissioned on 30 June 1994 and struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 11 January 1995.