Pringle was laid down by the Charleston Navy Yard, on 31 July 1941; launched on 2 May 1942, sponsored by Mrs. John D. H. Kane; and commissioned on 15 September 1942.

After reaching Halifax, Pringle proceeded to Charleston Naval Shipyard for a brief overhaul, during which her catapult was removed, returning her to standard Fletcher configuration.

Arriving off Guadalcanal on 30 May, she took up patrol duties off the Solomons, and, on the night of 17/18 July, joined Waller and Saufley in attacking three Japanese destroyers off Vanga Point, Kolombangara.

As the Solomon Islands campaign continued into August, Pringle screened advance units of the Vella Lavella assault force, escorted LSTs through Gizo strait, and on the 24th covered minelaying operations off Kolombangara under Japanese guns.

On the night of 3/4 September, Pringle with Dyson made a sweep of Japanese barges between Gambi Head, Choiseul, and Kolombangara, sinking three.

While escorting Task Group 31.7 into Empress Augusta Bay, Bougainville, on 11 November 10 days after the initial landing there, Pringle shot down one Japanese plane and damaged another.

She swept the southwest coast of Bougainville during daylight in early March, bombarding enemy installations and beached barges.

Back in service in February, Pringle screened transports to Iwo Jima for the assault there on the 17th, then provided fire support for the Marines ashore.

A single 1,000-pound bomb, or two 500-pounders, penetrated the main and superstructure decks and exploded with a violent eruption, buckling the keel and splitting the vessel in two at the forward fire room.