She was docked at Naval Station Argentia, tending Allied ships, on 7 December 1941 as the first direct blows of World War II struck the United States.

However, Captain Donald McIntyre, RN, in his memoirs entitled U-Boat Killer attributes the fire to a leak in the supply pipe through which petrol was being pumped along the wooden jetty that Prairie was secured to.

Majuro Atoll had been secured 7 February, and Prairie arrived there the 13th, to remain at this advantageous point for mobile supply during the costly campaign for Tarawa.

After this period of increased activity, Prairie continued to provide repair, supply, and medical services to ships of the 7th Fleet.

During a 6-month tour at Pearl Harbor beginning in July 1967, Prairie rescued survivors from the yacht Anobell in turbulent waters 600 miles off Hawaii 11 December and transported them to San Diego.

Prairie was decommissioned after over 52 years of service on 26 March 1993 at Long Beach, California, and was later towed to Singapore and sold for scrap.