"Stembel" joined the active fleet again on 9 November 1951. After refitting, sea trials, and a shakedown cruise, the destroyer stood out of San Diego on 21 June 1952 en route to the Korean War Zone. From 26 July to 2 November, "Stembel" served with carrier TF 77 in support of United Nations Forces. She served as plane guard for "Boxer" (CVA-21), assisted "Iowa" (BB-61) in bombarding Kojo and Wonsan, and patrolled the Taiwan Strait. She returned to San Diego on 5 January 1953, and remained on the west coast until 16 May when she again deployed to Korean waters where she served until 8 December.