She was launched at Avondale in January 1964, and was commissioned at Charleston Naval Shipyard, South Carolina as DE-1043 on 15 February 1965.

She completed her fitting out at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Virginia and became operational as part of the US Navy's Atlantic Fleet Anti-Submarine Warfare Forces on 14 January 1966.

[2] In May 1966, USS Edward McDonnell was transferred to the Escort Squadron VI (Cortron 6) with its home port at Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island.

Following her refit, Edward McDonnell undertook a shakedown and training deployment in the Caribbean before returning to Newport in June 1969.

[3] During 1975, Edward McDonnell was assigned to NATO's Standing Naval Force Atlantic (STANAVFORLANT) along with the Royal Netherlands Navy Van Speijk-class frigate Van Nes and the West Germany Navy Köln-class frigate Lübeck.