Following Pacific coast shakedown,
Persistent reported for duty to
Commander, Pacific Fleet, 2 March 1956 and was designated
flagship for
Mine Division 91 the same day. In September 1956, she was modified for advanced sound reduction to protect against acoustic mines. In August 1957, she deployed to
WestPac as part of Mine Countermeasures Group,
U.S. 7th Fleet. After return to
Long Beach, California, for regular overhaul in February 1958 and completion of type training that year, she engaged in research at the Navy Acoustic Range,
Puget Sound, September 1959. Later that year she measured ocean currents under assignment to
Scripps Institute of Oceanography. After another deployment to
WestPac in 1960, she returned to
California in July. After type training in 1961, she deployed to WestPac in January 1962, assisting in the training of
South Vietnamese sailors from January to August. After domestic operations in 1963, she deployed annually to WestPac from 1964 to 1970. She returned from her last WestPac early in 1971. Until 1971 she remained active with the
U.S. Pacific Fleet. == Decommissioning ==