Cogswell arrived at Pearl Harbor on 9 December 1943 for training, and there joined the screen of mighty carrier Task Force 58 for the Marshall Islands operation.

She continued her screening as the carriers launched raids on Truk on 16–17 February and on bases in the Marianas Islands on 21–22 February, then sailed from Majuro to Espiritu Santo to screen carriers providing air cover for the seizure of Emirau Island from 20–25 March, and raiding the Palaus, Yap, and Woleai from 30 March to 1 April.

Next at sea from 30 August to 27 September 1944, Cogswell sailed in the carrier screen as strikes were hurled at targets in the Palaus and Philippines during the invasion of Peleliu.

Cogswell screened the aircraft carrier Ticonderoga, hit during an air attack, into Ulithi 24 January 1945, then steamed on to the United States West Coast for overhaul.

After completing overhaul and steaming across the Pacific guarding convoys, Cogswell arrived off Okinawa on 27 May 1945 for dangerous and demanding duty as radar picket until 26 June.

Three days later she rejoined the carrier Task Force 38 for the final series of raids against the Japanese home islands until the close of the war.

She supported the occupation in the Far East through operations in Japanese waters and escort duty to Korean ports until 5 December, when she sailed from Yokosuka for San Diego, Boston, and Charleston, South Carolina, where she was decommissioned and placed in reserve 30 April 1946.

Between 26 August 1952 and February 1953, she cruised to ports of northern Europe while taking part in NATO operations, sailing on for duty with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean.