Until September 1956 "Nimble" was employed in operations in the 6th Naval District. On the 4th of that month, she departed the South Carolina coast for her first European deployment. Steaming to the North Sea, she participated in NATO exercises, then sailed to the Mediterranean to serve in the U.S. 6th Fleet until 22 February 1957. Beginning with that deployment, "Nimble" steamed to the Mediterranean for 6 months duty with the 6th Fleet on a bi-yearly basis until 1964. Breaking that pattern in that year, she resumed it in 1965, and has continued to follow it into 1970. "Nimble" Participated in the recovery effort of the 1966 Palomares B-52 crash.