Between commissioning and August 1957, Suribachi completed fitting out and conducted shakedown training out of Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba.

In September and October, she participated in three NATO exercises – Seaspray, Strikeback, and Pipedown – as flagship for the Underway Replenishment Group (URG).

In addition to the FAST conversion, Suribachi received a helicopter platform on her fantail enabling her to conduct vertical replenishments for the fleet.

From mid-March to mid-April, she and USS Dewey conducted the operational evaluation of her newly installed FAST system, in the vicinity of Mayport, Florida.

She departed from the combat zone fairly frequently for port period at Subic Bay in the Philippines and for a visit each to Hong Kong and Sattahip, Thailand.

On 8 February 1973, she entered port at Subic Bay and, on the 16th, sailed for Yokosuka, Japan, en route back to the United States.

In Early October 1983, while the Suribachi was en route from its home port in Leonardo, NJ (Naval Weapons Station Earle) to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba for refresher training.

In September 1992, a U.S. Navy Boeing-Vertol CH-46D Sea Knight experienced a mechanical failure during an ammunition offload and crashed on the fantail of the Suribachi.

[1] Suribachi was decommissioned in a ceremony at Leonardo, New Jersey on 2 December 1994, after 38 years of service, and was moored at the James River, Reserve Fleet site in Newport News, Virginia.