Outside of a tour of duty in destroyer tender USS Dobbin (27 May 1940 – 1 March 1941), Daly spent the remainder of his time in the naval service on the Downes.

Coxswain Daly sought to save a badly wounded shipmate after an oil fire forced the abandonment of the forward part of the ship, but died in the attempt.

Here she was assigned to the demanding, essential duty as guard and weather ship for planes flying the great circle route from Attu to Paramushiro.

She was active in air-sea rescue between Iwo Jima and Saipan, continuing this patrol after the war for planes supporting the occupation of Japan.

On 19 October 1945, Edward C. Daly returned to the United States, was decommissioned at San Pedro, Los Angeles on 20 December 1945, and sold on 8 January 1947.