USS Warbler (MSC-206) - Decommissioning and Sale To Fiji

Decommissioning and Sale To Fiji

Whippoorwill consequently relieved Warbler of "Market Time" duties on 19 July 1970, and the latter got underway from Camranh Bay for the succession of port visits. However, two days after leaving the bay, the ship received a message directing her to return to the United States for decommissioning. Departing Sasebo on 17 August and sailing via Pearl Harbor for an overnight refueling stop, Warbler reached the west coast of the United States on 17 September in company with Catskill, Vireo, and Widgeon. On 1 October 1970, Warbler was decommissioned.

Simultaneously placed in service as a Naval Reserve training (NRT) ship and homeported at Seattle, Washington, Warbler commenced her new duties soon thereafter. She trained reservists out of Seattle into the mid-1970s and was placed on the sale list in July 1975.

On 14 October 1975, she was sold to the government of Fiji, to serve as HMFS Kiro (MSC-206), and following a refit in 1980 remained in active service there until 1991, then served as a training ship until 1996.