After shakedown and escort duty along the Atlantic coast, Hudson sailed for Efate, New Hebrides, where she was just in time to provide fire support for the initial landings on Bougainville 1 November.

After delivering shore bombardment to clear the way for landings on Saipan, Guam, and Tinian, the destroyer took part in the Battle of the Philippine Sea on 19 June.

After refresher training at Pearl Harbor, Hudson returned to action, arriving off Iwo Jima on 19 February 1945. she provided vital radar picket protection during the initial invasion of the enemy stronghold.

On 5 April the Hudson gained credit for her second Japanese submarine, when a 6-hour attack with six barrages of depth charges resulted in the sinking of the Ro-49 off Okinawa.

When the fires were finally under control, Hudson had suffered damage equal to that of the kamikaze plane's victim, though the carrier had been saved with only a small loss of life and was ordered to Guam for repairs on 10 May.

After escorting a convoy to the Aleutians, she returned to Northern Japan to take part in the occupation and control of the enemy home islands 8 September, 6 days after the signing of unconditional surrender in Tokyo Bay.