She was named in honor of Holloway Halstead Frost who was awarded the Navy Cross for his World War I service as aide to Commander, American Patrol Detachment, Atlantic Fleet, a billet in which he played a significant role in developing the tactics of surface and air forces in combined operations against submarines.

During her third hunter-killer patrol, from 20 August 1944 to 2 October, Frost rescued survivors of USS Warrington (DD-383) who had capsized in a hurricane during the night of 13–14 September.

Training at Guantanamo Bay and Bermuda preceded the next patrol, from 23 January 1945 to 7 February, during which her task group formed a part of the escort for USS Quincy (CA-71), carrying President Franklin D. Roosevelt toward the Yalta Conference.

Frost sailed from Boston, Massachusetts on 10 July 1945 for training in the Caribbean, and Pacific duty, reaching Pearl Harbor after the close of hostilities.

She carried passengers back to San Diego, California, then sailed on to Norfolk, Virginia, and Green Cove Springs, Florida, where she was decommissioned and placed in reserve 18 June 1946.