"Sculpin" departed Pascagoula on 8 June for her designated home port, San Diego, California. Following her arrival there, she began a period of shakedown training. In July, she held special trials and tests in the Puget Sound area and then returned to San Diego for type training. In August, "Sculpin" cruised to Pearl Harbor for two weeks before returning to San Diego. She operated off the West Coast before entering the Mare Island Naval Shipyard for post-shakedown availability in October. This was completed in late March 1962, and "Sculpin" returned to her home port.