On 20 January 1914, she sailed from Charleston, South Carolina, and reached New Orleans, Louisiana, on 2 March, after stops at Cape Canaveral, Miami, Key West, Florida, and at Mobile, Alabama.

In June, she returned to the Atlantic seaboard, this time based at Norfolk, Virginia, and resumed coastal patrols and Caribbean exercises.

On 1 June, she was a part of the fleet which landed and supported the Marines at Monte Cristi, Dominican Republic, and marched to Santiago to restore order and to protect lives and property.

Sterett began dropping depth charges furiously, and air bubbles and oil soon appeared on the surface, indicating damage to the German raider.

Sterett sliced through the waves at top speed seeking to ram the submarine, but the U-boat countered by swinging hard to port.

However, without sufficient time to bracket their adversary, Sterett's gunners watched helplessly as the submarine slid beneath the surface and escaped.

The Allies prevailed, however, and the Armistice, signed on 11 November, brought an end to Sterett's strenuous duty; and, by 3 January 1919, she was back in the United States at Charleston.