It was named for United States Marine Corps Private Harold G. Epperson (1923–1944) who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism in the Battle of Saipan.

She screened the carrier task force off Korea, patrolled and bombarded the coast, and joined in hunter-killer exercises off Okinawa before returning to Pearl Harbor on 14 November.

Her second Korean tour, from 10 November 1952 to 29 May 1953, found her performing similar duty, as well as patrolling the Taiwan Straits, and entering the dangerous waters of Wonsan Harbor to bombard enemy shore batteries.

[2] During the first 4½ months of 1954, Epperson patrolled in the Marshall Islands during thermonuclear weapons tests, and in June sailed for duty in the Far East once more, an annual part of her employment schedule through 1962.

[2] The USS Epperson served in Vietnam making a “West Pac Cruise” every year from 1962 until 1973.She worked in task forces with carriers, carried out shore bombardment, and picketed off North Korea.