In the Allied invasion of Sicily, he was assigned to guide the landing of the waves of assault boats, and with skill and courage, under repeated strafing and bombing attacks, carried on throughout the night and early daylight hours of 10 July 1943.

Cavallaro was laid down by the Defoe Shipbuilding Company in Bay City, Michigan, as a Rudderow-class destroyer escort with the hull number DE-712.

She carried men between Japanese ports, and on 12 October departed Tokyo Bay bound for San Francisco, California.

She served as primary control ship in several large amphibious exercises during this tour of duty in the Far East, and transported Underwater Demolition Teams in day and night practice reconnaissance missions.

Between 12 January 1956 and 4 October, she served again in the Far East, joining in a re-enactment of the assault on Iwo Jima made for training purposes, and visiting ports in Japan and the Philippines, as well as Hong Kong.