After returning to the West Coast on 12 March 1962, "James E. Kyes" assumed an "in-commission-in-reserve" status on 16 April and underwent Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization (FRAM I) conversion at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Washington, to prepare for her role in the new Navy. Returning to full commission on 18 December, she participated in fleet exercises held off the California coast on 27 and 28 May 1963 in honor of President John F. Kennedy. "James E. Kyes" deployed to the Far East on 10 October. Following readiness evaluation exercises off the Hawaiian Islands, she arrived Yokosuka, Japan, on 22 November and commenced Fleet operations that continued to the end of the year. In the spring of 1964 she participated in Operation "Back Packs," a combined Chinese Nationalist and United States amphibious exercise on Taiwan. She was in the hunter-killer group which provided ASW protection for the operation. During the deployment, she supplied water to Hong Kong helping to relieve suffering caused by a severe drought which afflicted the city. The destroyer returned to Long Beach on 2 April 1964 and operated out of homeport for the rest of the year. She celebrated Columbus Day by saving a wayward DASH helicopter from hitting . She sailed for the Far East on 24 March 1965 and reached Yokosuka on 30 April. In May she participated in SEATO Exercise "Seahorse" with ships of the Thai, United Kingdom, and Australian navies. At the end of this exercise in the South China Sea, she visited Bangkok, Thailand. After upkeep in Subic Bay and a run to Hong Kong, "James E. Kyes" got underway for Exercise "Cross Tee II" in the Sea of Japan with ships of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force. During her 14th Westpac deployment in July 1965, "James E. Kyes" reported for duty with TF 77, which she operated until 10 September. During this period "James E. Kyes" served as plane guard for , AAW and SSSC picket at the southern end of the Tonkin Gulf and carried out a mercy mission to a stranded South Vietnamese SeaBee Battalion on Drummon Island in the Paracel Islands group, providing them with food and water. From 30 August to 5 September, the ship fired her guns in anger for the first time since the Korean War, providing illuminations and destructive fire near the Quảng Ngãi Province area of South Vietnam while assigned as Naval Gunfire Support (NGFS) ship.