The ship first deployed on 8 September 1979 and made port calls in Pearl Harbor, Guam, Yokosuka, Inchon, Subic Bay, and Hong Kong.

After port visits to Pearl Harbor, Subic Bay, Pusan, Chinhae, Hong Kong and Pattaya, the ship participated in a joint Thailand-U.S. naval exercise.

Later, the Ray spent 54 continuous days underway, spanning from the northwest Indian Ocean to northernmost Sea of Japan following and performing surveillance operations (SURVOPS) on the newest Soviet carrier, "Novorossiysk".

David R. Ray's second major overhaul began in June 1988, which coincided with the ship's shift of homeport from San Diego to Long Beach, California.

Upon return from deployment in April 1995, the ship continued a very fast operational tempo, including trips to Catalina Island, Seattle Sea Fair, and San Francisco Fleet Week.

David R. Ray completed a nine-month regular overhaul at Long Beach Naval Shipyard in June 1996 and then a homeport change to Everett, Washington, in July 1996.

On 9 March 1999, David R. Ray received no notice tasking to act as the Surface Action Group Commander for the sinking of the M/V New Carissa off the coast of Oregon.

Since returning from deployment, David R. Ray participated in various training opportunities, including Anti-Air Warfare and Naval Surface Fire Support exercises.

Prior to the ship's change of command on 29 April 2000, David R. Ray visited Puerto Vallarta and escorted the ex-USS South Carolina (CGN-37) as she was towed to Bremerton, Washington, for deactivation and nuclear-powered vessel recycling.

On 17 June 2008, the ex-USS David R. Ray was towed by fleet tug to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, where she was to be sunk as a target as part of the annual RIMPAC exercises.

[3] The destroyer is a secondary setting for the 45th installment of the Bande dessinée series Buck Danny, Les secrets de la Mer Noire, set during the early 1990s, where the hero's sidekicks Jerry Tumbler and Sonny Tuckson are on board on a mission of distant support for Buck Danny, himself on a PR mission on the soviet carrier Admiral Kuznetsov.