 En route to Majorca, "Basilone" participated in a NATO exercise in the Aegean Sea then stood into Naples on 7 December for a 12-day tender availability.The destroyer finished the year in Cannes, France (port was made in Toulon France), joining Exercise "Lafayette" during her four-day transit.On 3 January 1969, she got underway for 10 days of task group operations after which she visited Tunis en route to turnover at Majorca on the 18th.