On 29 January 1962, "Carpenter" commenced exercise "Prairie Wolf" with diesel submarines and . This evolution tested the destroyer's sonar tracking abilities and ASW rocket weapons system. Other exercises over the next several months included electronic countermeasures, gunnery, sonar, and radar calibration tests, as well as practice ASW torpedo shots. The routine was broken only by occasional plane-guard operations with "Hancock", an evaluation of her SQS-32 sonar capabilities against the nuclear-powered submarine , and on 20 February, service as contingency recovery ship during John Glenn's Mercury "Friendship 7" orbital flight.