Originally called a destroyer leader or frigate (DLG-23), on 30 June 1975 she was redesignated a cruiser (CG-23) in the U.S. Navy's ship reclassification.

Halsey departed from San Francisco on 25 November 1963 for the Bangor Submarine Base in the Hood Canal for testing.

[1] Halsey was assigned to Destroyer Squadron 7 and participated in a special sea power demonstration for the Secretary of the Navy.

[1] On 2 July 1966, Halsey left San Diego for Subic Bay, Philippines, where she performed ASW operations and air-sea rescue missions in the South China Sea.

For the rest of Halsey's career, she spent her time participating in regular operations in the West Pacific and Indian Ocean.