▁the ▁mer itor ious ▁unit ▁comm end ation ▁for ▁tact ical ▁prof ic iency ▁in ▁the ▁tracking ▁of ▁Soviet ▁sub mar ines ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 7 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁Cur ts ▁received ▁the ▁armed ▁forces ▁expedition ary ▁medal ▁for ▁serving ▁with ▁the ▁ ▁battle ▁group ▁during ▁Operation ▁E arn est ▁Will ▁in ▁the ▁north ▁Arab ian ▁Sea ▁and ▁the ▁G ulf ▁of ▁O man . ▁Additionally , ▁Cur ts ▁changed ▁home port ▁to ▁Y ok os uka , ▁Japan , ▁becoming ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁two ▁gu ided - miss ile ▁fr ig ates ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁For ward ▁Dep loy ed ▁Naval ▁Force ▁( FD NF ). ▁Cur ts ▁was ▁first ▁to ▁bring ▁the ▁LA MP S ▁M K ▁III ▁hel ic op ters ▁to ▁Naval ▁Air ▁Fac ility ▁A ts ug i . ▁ ▁Operation ▁Des ert ▁Storm ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 4 ▁January ▁ 1 9 9 1 , ▁during ▁Operation ▁Des ert ▁Storm , ▁the ▁ship ▁and ▁her ▁emb ark ed ▁n avy ▁and ▁army ▁hel ic op ters ▁captured ▁an ▁Ira qi ▁g arrison ▁on ▁Q ar uh ▁Island ▁in ▁the ▁northern ▁Pers ian ▁G ulf , ▁taking ▁the ▁island ▁and ▁cust ody ▁of ▁ 5 1 ▁Ira qi ▁prisoners . ▁Cur ts ▁destroyed ▁two ▁mines , ▁s ank ▁an ▁Ira qi ▁min el ayer ▁and ▁provided ▁support ▁to ▁combat ▁hel ic opter ▁operations ▁during ▁the ▁battle ▁of ▁B ub i yan ▁Island . ▁The ▁ship ▁received ▁the ▁n avy