After shakedown training off the New England coast, Snook departed New London on 3 March 1943 and set sail for the Pacific.

Upon completion of mine planting in the Shanghai area, Snook continued on up the coast of China to the Yellow Sea.

Coming back up to periscope depth, she found a destroyer guarding the crippled ship and was prevented from a second try by overhead aircraft.

Following the air strikes, the submarine resumed patrol and headed for the East China Sea where, in the early morning darkness of 13 September, she torpedoed and sank the 9,650-ton transport Yamato Maru.

On 22 September, Snook intercepted and sank 715-ton Japanese cargo ship Katsurahama Maru departing from Dairen.

Snook spent her fourth war patrol in a coordinated attack group with sister ships Pargo (SS-264) and Harder (SS-257) in the waters off the Mariana Islands.

On 8 February, she attacked a 13-ship convoy, firing a spread of four torpedoes for three hits before diving to evade the escort ships.

The submarine terminated her fifth patrol at Pearl Harbor on 6 March and continued to Hunters Point Navy Yard for a major overhaul.

On her sixth patrol Snook attacked and missed two freighters on 12 July, but found no other worthwhile targets, and returned to Midway Island on 14 August.

Snook was lost while conducting her ninth war patrol, in the South China Sea and Luzon Strait.

On 12 April, she was ordered to take lifeguard station in the vicinity of Sakishima Gunto in support of British carrier air strikes.

On 20 April, the commander of the British carrier task force reported that he had a plane down in Snook's assigned area, and that he could not contact the submarine by radio.

Although Bang arrived and rescued the downed aviators, she saw no sign of the missing submarine; on 16 May, Snook was presumed lost due to unknown causes.

The SONAR image of a large unexpected obstruction to the operations prompted the divers to command evasive maneuvers and avoid the area for the safety of the ROV.