Schley sailed from San Diego on 10 October 1918 for the east coast and, on 12 November, departed New York for the Mediterranean Sea.

On 24 January 1919 at Taranto, Italy, she embarked Rear Admiral Mark L. Bristol, Senior American Naval Officer in Turkey, and transported him to Constantinople.

When Japanese planes attacked Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, the destroyer was moored in a nest of ships undergoing overhaul and, as her guns were dismantled, was able to do little besides reply with small arms fire.

On 13 December 1942, she departed Hawaiian waters for conversion into a fast transport at the Puget Sound Navy Yard.

In the South Pacific, she trained intensively with Marine raiders and other troops, acted as a patrol and escort vessel, and operated as a transport between the Solomons, the New Hebrides, American Samoa, and New Zealand.

During this operation, a Japanese reinforcement group belatedly arrived on the scene and, in retiring, sank USS Strong with a long-range torpedo shot.

After another trip to Rice Anchorage with supplies and ammunition, Schley sailed from Espiritu Santo on 1 August for overhaul at Mare Island.

The next day at Tumleo Island, her boats landed troops from a larger transport while Schley again provided gunfire support.

After repairs to a damaged propeller, Schley landed a company of troops on Niroemoar Island to set up a radar unit on 19 May.

After a month of convoy operations, Schley joined the task group which carried out landings in Ormoc Bay on 7 December.

On 29 May, Schley arrived at San Diego for repairs, and was redesignated DD-103 effective 5 July "for duty as rear-area escort and training vessel", as she was then too worn out for further front-line service.