South Carolina in company with her sister ship, California, and the aircraft carrier Nimitz commenced a second Mediterranean deployment in November 1977 and returned to Norfolk, Virginia in July 1978.

In June 1987, just months after the frigate Stark was struck by Iraqi missiles, South Carolina was involved in a tense standoff with Libyan jets in the Gulf of Sidra.

A major incident was averted by the use of high powered electronic warfare equipment to jam the jet's radars and Libya fired back only with diplomatic protest.

The cruiser again set sail for the Caribbean on 12 March 1990 for law enforcement operations returning on 13 April 1990 having acted as Coast Guard, COMCARIBRON flagship and making two drug interdictions.

South Carolina returned to the Caribbean in July for counter narcotics operations, where she served as flagship for Commander, Joint Task Group 4 and COMCARIBRON.

[citation needed] Upon completion of Maritime Interdiction Force operations, South Carolina was selected as the first nuclear-powered warship to visit the Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

South Carolina acted as an Anti-Air Warfare Commander for the Mediterranean, protecting operation Silver Cloud air corridors and the approaches to the Suez Canal.

South Carolina acted as on-scene commander and supervised the recovery of four survivors and 29 bodies from the sinking merchant ship Continental Lotus.

[citation needed] Following nuclear refueling, she participated in Operation Able Vigil Forces to assist in the rescue and transport of thousands of Cuban migrants; its crew members were awarded the Coast Guard Unit Commendation.

[citation needed] South Carolina's first post-refueling deployment was to the Straits of Florida during October and November 1994 to rescue Cuban refugees who were fleeing their homeland in hopes of reaching the United States.

South Carolina completed all unit work-up phases and began fleet operations with the George Washington Battle Group in the spring of 1997.

From April to June 1997 South Carolina conducted a COMPTUEX with the George Washington Battle Group coordinating and acting as Air Warfare Commander for the largest and most successful surface-to-air missile exercise in the Atlantic fleet.

[citation needed] In October 1997, the cruiser began its final Mediterranean cruise visiting thirteen ports of call from Haifa, Israel to Naples, Italy and Rota, Spain.

The last of the crew left in July 1999, with the exception of a small contingent to escort her through the Panama Canal and to Bremerton, Washington where she entered the Nuclear Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard on 1 October 1999.