"Gridley" operated along the West Coast until heading back to the Western Pacific 10 July 1965. Stopping at Pearl Harbor and Yokosuka en route, she steamed to the South China Sea to support aircraft carriers of the Seventh Fleet as the flattops attacked targets in Vietnam. On four occasions in the next four months, she rescued pilots who ditched at sea. She returned to Yokosuka on 7 December but resumed station in the South China Sea on 22 December to serve as "Tomcat," responsible for checking-in planes returning to their carriers. Early in 1966 she headed for home and reached Long Beach 1 February.