She was named for Rear Admiral C. Wade McClusky (1902–1976) who as a lieutenant commander led the air group of USS Enterprise (CV-6), which sank the Japanese carriers Kaga and Akagi during the Battle of Midway.

She was a part of Battle Group Foxtrot, headed by the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN-65), and included the cruisers Truxtun and Arkansas, the destroyers O'Brien and David R. Ray and the frigates Reasoner and Lewis B. Puller.

The battle group sailed directly for the Indian Ocean, with stops in Hawaii, Naval Station Subic Bay, and Singapore.

In 1988 McClusky began the year as part of Joint Task Force Middle East carrying out Operation Earnest Will missions.

After a short patrol of Northern Persian Gulf, McClusky headed south towards the Straits of Hormuz, completing a successful three-month assignment to the Middle East Force.