Commissioned in 1943, she served in several Pacific campaigns during World War II, earning ten battle stars.

She was laid down by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding, San Pedro, California 12 December 1942; launched 13 June 1943; sponsored by Mrs Lewis B. Porterfield and commissioned 30 October 1943.

She returned to Pearl Harbor, Porterfield then joined the replenishment group for the fast carrier task force, screening the oilers.

Air raids were heavier this time and Porterfield claiming three aircraft shot down, also rescuing the crew of a torpedo bomber from the carrier Hornet.

At dawn 25 October, carrier aircraft from the formation began their strikes against the Japanese forces, crippling the entire group and sending it back to Japan.

The Fast Carrier Task Force penetrated within 60 miles (110 km) of Tokyo without being attacked and then retired toward Iwo Jima to provide naval gunfire support for the landings and claimed another aircraft destroyed.

One of the Porterfield officers, Ensign Burton James Brown,[1] was awarded the Navy Cross (posthumously) for heroism during this action.

Porterfield claimed one shot down before being tasked to aid the destroyers Leutze and Newcomb, manoeuvring close to the two burning ships to rescue survivors.

Later that day, Porterfield was ordered with Task Force 54, to intercept units of the Japanese fleet, including the battleship Yamato, which were steaming toward Okinawa.

Porterfield continued her fire support, claiming another enemy aircraft before being forced to return to the rear area due to damage to an engine.

Early in May, she was ordered back to Ulithi where she remained until 20 June, when she got underway for Okinawa, only to find that the engine previously damaged was still inoperative.

With Task Force 77 off the Korean East Coast, the ship's duties consisted mainly of screening the fast carriers and occasional shore bombardment.

Porterfield continued to alternate periods of underway training and operations off the California coast with deployments to the western Pacific which took place in 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957 and 1958.

On the last of these deployments Porterfield participated in the Taiwan patrol for several weeks commencing with the intensification of military action from the Chinese mainland against the off-shore islands.

On her eighth Western Pacific cruise in 1959 Porterfield operated extensively as a Hunter Killer AntiSubmarine Task Group member.

During the summer of 1965, Porterfield visited San Francisco, Puget Sound and Hawaii as part of the Pacific Midshipman Training Squadron.