Fletcher played an important part in the surface action off Guadalcanal 13 November, firing guns and torpedoes in the general melee which sank two Japanese destroyers and damaged the fast battleship Hiei, later sunk by carrier and Marine aircraft.

She supported the landings on the Russell Islands on 21 February, bombarded Munda airfield on New Georgia during the night of 5/6 March, and then continued to guard the movement of transports in the Solomons.

She left Espiritu Santo on 19 June for a Stateside overhaul, returning to Nouméa on 27 September to resume her former activities until 31 October.

Again, Fletcher fired on Japanese aircraft on 4 December, when the task force came under an air attack after it had made a strike on Kwajalein island.

[1] Fletcher returned to Pearl Harbor on 9 December 1943, and after a brief overhaul and training on the west coast, was ready for the attack on the Marshall Islands.

[1] After joining in training exercises off Port Purvis on Florida Island, in the Solomons, Fletcher arrived at Cape Sudest, New Guinea, 18 April 1944.

She covered them while they sent their boats ashore in the initial landings 20 October, and next day departed for New Guinea, thus clearing Leyte Gulf before the great battle for its control broke out.

[1] On 4 January 1945, Fletcher sortied from San Pedro Bay to provide close cover for the Luzon Attack Force as it sailed toward its objective.

Water Tender Second Class Elmer C. Bigelow was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity" while fighting the fire on board the destroyer.

[1] Recommissioned 3 October 1949 as a specialist in antisubmarine warfare (ASW) after conversion to an escort destroyer (DDE-445), Fletcher sailed for San Diego 1 May 1950 for a tour of duty with the 7th Fleet in the western Pacific.