On 8 December 1941 it was part of the 16th Naval District, a component of the United States Asiatic Fleet.
[2] Rear Admiral J. L. Kauffman embarked in the amphibious force command ship USS Wasatch to establish his temporary headquarters aboard while the ship was berthed at San Pedro Bay, Leyte as Commander, Philippine Sea Frontier, from 29 November to 2 December 1944.
He maintained an Operations Board at his headquarters at Tolosa, Leyte, on which was kept a running record of the scheduled and actual arrival and departure of vessels of all categories in the area under his cognizance.
During the period of the loss of the cruiser USS Indianapolis, Commander, Philippine Sea Frontier, Vice Admiral Kauffman was absent from his command since 1 July 1945, on temporary duty status in the United States; Commodore Norman C. Gillette was in temporary command; and the Operations Officer of the Headquarters Staff, Captain A. M. Granum, was intensively occupied in diversion of shipping in typhoon areas and operations.
USS Bumper served as a unit of Submarines, Philippine Sea Frontier, from September 1945 to April 1946.