Between 28 October and 20 November, she voyaged on escort duty to the Azores, then operated locally out of New York until 13 January 1919 when she got underway for target practice and fleet maneuvers in Cuban waters, returning 2 March.

Three days later she sailed to escort George Washington with President Woodrow Wilson embarked as far as the Azores, returning to Guantánamo Bay 21 March to join the fleet for maneuvers.

On 3 June 1922, she sailed from Manila to call at Shanghai and Chefoo, China, Nagasaki, Japan, and Pearl Harbor on her passage to San Francisco where she arrived on 2 October.

Recommissioned on 1 March 1930, Dorsey operated on the west coast, in the Canal Zone, and in the Hawaiian Islands acting as plane guard for aircraft carriers and participating in tactical maneuvers with the fleet.

In reserve from 10 to 29 June 1935, she then entered Mare Island Navy Yard for the installation of gear for her new assignment as a high-speed towing vessel.

Dorsey continued to operate from San Diego providing high-speed target towing for ships in training along the west coast, in the Canal Zone, and, between 29 December 1938 and 25 April 1939, in the Caribbean Sea.

The force returned to its base on 9 December, and Dorsey was assigned to the Hawaiian Sea Frontier for patrol, local escort, and training duty.

Returning to Pearl Harbor on 1 October 1944, Dorsey had towing duty and joined in minesweeping experiments until 9 November when she got underway as convoy escort for Port Purvis.

Returning to Okinawa 1 July 1945, Dorsey joined the minesweeping unit operating in conjunction with the 3rd Fleet raids on the Japanese home islands.