The ship was laid down on 11 February 1943 by the Western Pipe and Steel Company, San Pedro, Los Angeles; launched on 14 November 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Ruth Marohn; and commissioned on 2 September 1944.

On her arrival on 10 December, she joined a hunter-killer (HUK) group operating with Corregidor (CVE-58); and, for the next three weeks, patrolled to the north and east of Hawaii.

From 1 to 18 March, the group searched, unsuccessfully, between Johnston Island and Kwajalein for an overdue Army Air Corps transport carrying Lt. Gen. M. F. Harmon, USA.

During September, she escorted landing craft of the U.S. 5th Fleet's amphibious force from Saipan to Nagasaki; then, in October, screened transports from Luzon to Sasebo.

The destroyer escort arrived at San Diego, California, on 10 November, then continued on to the Atlantic coast for pre-inactivation overhaul.

In January 1946 she moved from Norfolk, Virginia, to Green Cove Springs, Florida, where she joined other ships waiting to berth with the "mothball fleet."

Then, with the Berlin Crisis, the Selected Reserve was called to active duty and Roberts was assigned to the newly formed escort squadron CortRon 12, based at Norfolk.