1990s
These operations, called "Legal OPS '90" for short, included amongst the crew, a detachment of Coast Guard personnel to act as a legal "policing force" aboard the Ouellet. This was the first time that a Coast Guard flag flew from a U.S. Navy warship in operations such as these. In search for drug smugglers, the Ouellet recovered close to 1 ton of pure, unprocessed cocaine, which was jettisoned from an unknown vessel trying to elude authorities. While on "Legal OPS '90", Ouellet transited through the Panama Canal with follow-on ports-of-call in Panama and Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles. After returning in to Pearl Harbor in November 1990 Ouellet was awarded the "Battle E" for overall excellence and the "Joint Meritorious Unit Citation" (JMUC).
In June 1991, Ouellet participated in three phases of shipboard training for midshipmen from the United States Naval Academy, and "Anti-Submarine Operations 91". Port calls made during this training period included visits to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and Kodiak Island, Alaska. Ouellet crewmembers took advantage of this "in-port" time to celebrate the United State's birthday on the "4th of July".
Ouellet's final deployment was from 25 March to 24 July 1992. This Western Pacific Rim journey was her 10th major deployment, and took the Ouellet to the Continent of Australia . While en route, she participated in "Pacific ASW Exercise 92", and operated with elements of the Australian Navy in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the "Battle of the Coral Sea".
This was her final voyage as a United States Navy vessel, after serving her country proudly for over 20 years. USS Ouellet was decommissioned on 3 August 1993.
As of May 1998, the former USS Ouellet serves with the Royal Thai Navy as HTMS Phutthaloetla Naphalai, F-462.
Read more about this topic: USS Ouellet (FF-1077)