[3] She was laid down 1 September 1949 by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden, New Jersey, launched 29 December 1951 with the destroyer leader reclassification DL-1, sponsored by Miss Betty King Duckworth, and commissioned 4 March 1953, Capt.

After her Caribbean shakedown cruise (February 1954), Norfolk was assigned to the U.S. Atlantic Fleet and between 1955 and 1957 served successively as flagship for Commander Destroyer Flotillas 2, 4, and 6.

During the operation she performed ASW training exercises with the navies of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil.

Kenya, the Seychelles, Mauritius, Malagasy Republic, India, Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, Mexico, and Panama Canal Zone.

[4] A projected sister ship, to be named New Haven, was deferred and then cancelled in favor of the smaller and less expensive Mitscher-class destroyers, due to the high cost ($61.9 million) of Norfork.

While Norfolk was fully combat ready, she was effectively a one ship class experiment that tested new ASW weapons and concepts.

[5][6] Two of Norfolk's 3″/70 gun mounts were saved from the scrap heap and were on display at the Naval Training Center in Orlando, Florida.