USS Underwood departed for a maiden deployment to the Mediterranean Sea in 1985. She also played a key role in the search and recovery effort following the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster in January 1986, and earned the Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation.

October 20, 1999 USS Underwood, while deployed to the Mediterranean Sea, ran aground off the coast of Alexandria, Egypt, at about 4 p.m. (GMT). The guided-missile frigate remained aground for approximately five hours until tugs pulled it free. Both its commanding officer and executive officer were disciplined. Damage was estimated $548,000.

FFG 36 Participated in numerous counter narcotics operations in the Caribbean Sea and several major six-month deployments, including assignment to the Arabian Gulf as part of Operation Desert Storm. It completed the eighth major overseas deployment in March 2000.

USS Underwood was deployed in spring and summer of 2002, with the USS John F. Kennedy Battle Group, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in the Arabian Gulf, in addition to operations in the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean.

August 20, 2004 USS Underwood departed Naval Station Mayport for a scheduled deployment in support of the Global War on Terrorism, with the USS Saipan (LHA 2) Expeditionary Strike Group.

April 4, 2006 USS Underwood, commanded by Cmdr. Roderick Fraser, already at sea performing escort duties, will join the George Washington Carrier Strike Group, in the Caribbean Sea at a later date, for approximately two months to participate in the "Partnership of the Americas", an exercise that will enhance regional maritime security and strengthen ties through operations and exercises with Caribbean and Latin American partner nations.

April 17, FFG 36 visited Cartagena, Colombia, April 10-13 for a scheduled port call. The guided-missile frigate departed homeport March 24 to conduct counter-narco-terrorism operations (CNT-OPS) in the western Caribbean to stop illegal drugs from reaching the United States.

May 7, The Underwood recently departed Honduras after a goodwill port visit.

May 18, USS Underwood departed Chaguaramas, Trinidad, following a three-day port call.

June 8, The guided-missile frigate pulled to Boston Harbor for the second annual Boston Navy Week.

October 21, The ship is currently underway conducting Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX), as part of USS Bataan (LHD 5) Expeditionary Strike Group Two.

January 5, 2007 USS Underwood departed Mayport for a scheduled deployment, with the Bataan ESG 2, in support of the ongoing rotation of forward-deployed forces.

January 23, FFG 36 pulled to Souda Bay, Crete, for a routine port visit.

April 12, The guided-missile frigate is currently in the Persian Gulf conducting Maritime Security Operations (MSO).

July 2, USS Underwood returned to homeport after a six-month underway period. While deployed she conducted more than 35 boarding missions in support of Commander Task Force 158 operations in the Persian Gulf.

July 11, 2008 USS Underwood is currently in the Atlantic Ocean as part of USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) composite unit training exercise (COMPTUEX).

December 2, FFG 36 arrived in Panama City for a goodwill port visit. The frigate is underway on a counter-illicit trafficking deployment since Oct. 5.

March 5, 2009 The Underwood provided assistance to five Colombian fishermen who were stranded in the eastern Pacific Ocean Feb. 27. After supplying the survivors with food and water, she remained with the fishing vessel Jireh until the ARC Andagoya arrived nine hours later.

March 29, The guided-missile frigate departed Cartagena, Columbia, after a three-day port visit.

April 4, USS Underwood returned to Mayport after a six-month deployment. During the underway she seized and disrupted more than 53,000 pounds of contraband worth an estimated street value of more than $1.6 billion, and visited ports of Golfito, Costa Rica; Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala; and Acapulco, Mexico.

October 30, Cmdr. Craig T. Bowden relieved Cmdr. Wesley A. Smith as CO of the Underwood during a change-of-command ceremony at Naval Station Mayport.

December 7, More than 200 guests, including three Pearl Harbor survivors, gathered aboard USS Underwood to commemorate the 67th anniversary the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, during an at-sea memorial service.

January 12, 2010 USS Underwood departed homeport for routine trainings in preparation for a scheduled deployment.

January 13, The Underwood was diverted to provide humanitarian assistance to Haiti after a magnitude-7.0 quake struck the island of Hispaniola Tuesday afternoon.

January 15, FFG 36 stopped overnight at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay for fuel and suplies.

February 6, The guided-missile frigate departed Haiti after supporting Operation Unified Response. The HSL-60 Helicopters flew over 170 hours delivered 850 cases of food, 850 cases of water, flew 84 medevac missions, transported close to 600 personnel and moved over 62,000 pounds of equipment in a little over two weeks.

February 9, USS Underwood returned to Mayport Naval Station.

May 3, The Underwood completed joint operational qualifications April 10 with an Army Blackhawk aviation regiment off the coast of Honduras. FFG 36 is currently deployed for U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command (COMUSNAVSO) under tactical control of Joint Interagency Task Force-South, conducting counter-illicit trafficking operations.

May 31, USS Underwood, along with her embarked Helicopter Squadron Anti-Submarine Light (HSL 60) detachment, arrived off the coast of Guatemala to assist in humanitarian aid and disaster relief (HADR) efforts.