On 4 June 1942 during the Battle of Midway Aviation Ordnanceman Hilbert was killed during an aerial attack against Imperial Japanese Navy forces when his aircraft was shot down.

From June through August Hilbert screened the fueling group of Admiral R. K. Turner's Northern Attack Force for the capture of Saipan and Tinian.

The Marianas were stoutly and bitterly contested, requiring great flexibility and fortitude before our fleet conquered the rugged and well-defended islands.

In October Hilbert joined Admiral Halsey's U.S. 3rd Fleet and screened the logistics group for the Battle of Leyte Gulf.

Departing Tokyo on 29 September Hilbert sailed to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, via Los Angeles, California, and the Panama Canal Zone, and thence to Green Cove Springs, Florida, arriving on 17 December.