Following shakedown off New London, Connecticut, Shark transited the Panama Canal and arrived at Pearl Harbor on 24 April 1944 for final training in the Hawaiian area.

Early on the morning of 2 June, Shark submerged ahead of an enemy convoy and fired a spread of torpedoes at a Japanese tanker.

On 4 June, Shark began tracking another heavily escorted convoy, and in maneuvering for attack, encountered a patrolling destroyer dead ahead.

Upon failing in a maneuver for a "down-the-throat" shot, the submarine passed down the port side of the enemy at 180 yards (160 m) and launched four torpedoes toward a heavily laden cargo ship.

On the afternoon of 4 August, Shark rescued two airmen from a crashed USS Lexington Curtiss SB2C Helldiver from AG19 piloted by William S. Emerson.

Around 5:00 pm on 24 October 1944 in the Bashi Straits, South China Sea, latitude 20°46'N, longitude 118°18' E, the 6,886-ton Japanese freighter Arisan Maru was sunk.

Japanese records examined after the war indicate that on 24 October 1944, in Luzon Strait, Harukaze made contact with a submerged submarine and dropped depth charges.

After losing and regaining the contact, the destroyer dropped another 17 depth charges, which resulted in "bubbles, heavy oil, clothes, and cork" coming to the surface.