On 14 December 1942 at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay outside of Hampton Roads, VA, near the Thimble Shoals Lighthouse, she hit and sank the sloop Narada (known as the USCGR-2012) on loan to the US Coast Guard for antisubmarine duty.

At 0411 on the 10th, Aulick struck a coral reef off the southern tip of New Caledonia while making 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) and suffered extensive damage to her hull, propellers, and engines.

The destroyer left Hawaii on 22 January 1944, bound for the west coast, and reported to the Fleet Operational Training Command in San Francisco on 3 February.

The highlight of her service during this assignment was her rescue on 11 April of 16 crewmen from a downed United States Navy PBM Mariner flying boat.

After a resupply stop at Eniwetok, Aulick rendezvoused with Task Group 32.4 (TG 32.4) on 21 August and continued on to Guadalcanal where she spent the next three weeks preparing for upcoming operations against the Palaus.

The northern force was built around the Combined Fleet's remaining aircraft carriers, now bereft of their warplanes, and was to wait as a decoy north of Luzon.

The more powerful of these surface forces was to cross the Sibuyan Sea, transit San Bernardino Strait, and descend upon Leyte Gulf from the north.

On 25 October, Aulick was part of the screen that was protecting American battleships and cruisers guarding the waters approaching Surigao Strait.

The destroyer sortied on 17 November to meet the battleship West Virginia in Vitiaz Strait and escort her back to Seeadler.

Another aircraft approached and struck the starboard side of the bridge with its wingtip, continued forward and downward, and exploded near the bow just above the main deck.

After being relieved by the destroyer Pringle, Aulick proceeded to San Pedro Bay to transfer her wounded and made emergency repairs.

The ship began sea trials on 24 February 1945 and underwent refresher training out of San Diego, Calif. before departing the west coast on 7 March.

After a period of upkeep, Aulick got underway for Okinawa, anchored off Hagushi beach on 16 May, and joined the antiaircraft and radar picket screen around the transports.

From 24 August to 2 September, the destroyer was assigned air-sea rescue duties on the direct air lane between Okinawa and Tokyo.

The destroyer participated in a Presidential fleet review on 27 October and entered the New York Navy Yard on 15 November to prepare for inactivation.