3 and 21 March, Truett participated in an ASW-and-convoy-operations exercise, "Safepass 76," with units of NATO's Standing Naval Force Atlantic (STANAVFORLANT). Succeeding months were spent in preparation for the ship's forthcoming NATO deployment in the North Atlantic. Departing Norfolk on 14 June, Truett spent the next six months engaging in two major fleet exercises and visiting 20 ports from Norway to Portugal. During the early part of the deployment, she shadowed the new , which was en route from the Black Sea to Murmansk on its maiden cruise, off the west coast of Scotland . The fleet frigate returned to Norfolk on 17 December and spent the remainder of the year enjoying a period of leave and a tender availability. The greater part of 1977 was spent in priming the ship for deployment to the Mediterranean late in the year. During this workup period, Truett engaged in two major Atlantic Fleet exercises and underwent six inspections or qualifications. On 27 September, she departed for the Mediterranean and operations with the 6th Fleet which took her into the new year. Mediterranean Sea On 2 February 1978, Truett transited the Suez Canal and operated with the Middle East Force in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden during the Ethiopian/Somalian crisis. Her operations there included a 56-day, continuous at-sea period. Returning to the Mediterranean in April, Truett arrived back in Norfolk on 25 April. The summer was spent conducting operations off the east coast, and the fleet frigate then proceeded to Braswell Shipyard, Boston, for a regular overhaul which commenced on 27 September. The ship remained there into 1979. References External links USS Truett Navsource images Ships built in Bridge City, Louisiana Knox-class frigates 1973 ships Ships transferred from the United States Navy to the Royal Thai Navy Cold War frigates and destroyer escorts of the United States