"Richard E. Kraus" operated off the east coast of the United States through July 1970, visiting Cape Kennedy, Norfolk, where she joined the NATO fleet STANAVFORLANT before hitting New York City and the city of Montreal in Canada. She transited the St. Lawrence Seaway on 28 July en route to Europe via Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Iceland. She cruised the North Sea area until 10 December, visiting Scotland, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, and Belgium. She arrived at Charleston, S.C., on 19 December, after short stops at Ponta Delgada in the Azores and Bermuda, B.C.C. "Kraus" remained in the Charleston area through September 1971, undergoing regular overhaul and post-overhaul tests and exercises. On the 23rd, she steamed out of Charleston, headed for the Indian Ocean. After stopping at Puerto Rico; Recife, Brazil; Luanda, Angola; and Lourenço Marques, Mozambique, she arrived at Majunga, Madagascar, on 30 October and was officially transferred to COMIDEASTFOR.