The highlights of this period included the capture on 7 August of 43 survivors of the U-615 which had been damaged by Navy air units off Cuba, and the responsibility of escorting the Secretary of State, Cordell Hull, from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Casablanca to participate in the Moscow Conference of October 1943.

From March through June 1944, Walker operated in the South Pacific escorting troops and transports from Guadalcanal to Bougainville and from various points in New Guinea.

Walker began service assigned to an escort carrier unit providing air support for the amphibious forces headed for Guam.

The group departed from Kwajalein in June; but, due to the bitterness of the campaign for Saipan, the Guam landings were postponed, and the ships returned to Eniwetok.

During this operation, Walker experienced her first air action and downed one enemy fighter plane as well as provided gunfire support in the Dulag area.

The transports were rapidly unloaded and departed with Walker and other escorts prior to the arrival of the Japanese naval forces and the ensuing Battle of Leyte Gulf from 24 to 25 October 1944.

After a brief stop at Palau, Walker received orders to return home, and she reached the Mare Island Navy Yard, San Francisco, California, on Christmas Eve 1944.

The most memorable part of Walker's combat service began in mid-March 1945 when, fresh from navy yard overhaul, she joined Admiral Marc Mitscher's famed Task Force 58 (TF 58) at Ulithi, Caroline Islands.

She remained in Hawaii until November 1951 when she sailed for the western Pacific and joined the United Nations Blockading Force assisting UN ground troops in the Korean War.

These very active years were spent, for the most part, conducting antisubmarine warfare exercises and various operations with her task group and elements of the Republic of Korea Navy and the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force.

Walker returned to Qui Nhơn, South Vietnam, on 22 April and began support missions, shooting direct fire at the Vietcong coastal supply areas and troop concentrations.

On 26 April 1966, the escort destroyer supplied direct, indirect, harassment, and interdiction support for Operation Osage, a combined amphibious assault at Chu Lai.

Walker set course on 17 May for Manila Bay, Philippines, where she joined in SEATO antisubmarine warfare Exercise Sea Imp which lasted until 6 June.

The ship next joined Taylor for a month of patrol duty in the Taiwan Strait during which time she rescued a Nationalist Chinese fishing boat adrift for 48 hours.

Walker entered the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard on 19 September and remained in overhaul status for the rest of calendar year 1966.

From 4 to 17 May, the task group embarked on a transit of the Sea of Japan to demonstrate antisubmarine and antiair capabilities with the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force.

On the evening of 15 July, while providing gunfire support south of Cape Batangan, Walker received notification that a North Vietnamese naval trawler (459) carrying arms was expected to attempt a landing in the vicinity.

The trawler was beached by the crew and abandoned with large quantities of arms, ammunition, and demolition equipment recovered by American forces.

Walker joined Operation Beacon Guide as a naval gunfire support ship on 20 July and provided preparation fire for the amphibious and helicopter assault south of Huế.

After a brief tender availability at Taiwan, Walker returned to the Tonkin Gulf on 9 August and operated with Intrepid (CVS-11) for a week prior to departure for Hong Kong.

The escort destroyer rejoined Hornet, and the task group arrived at Hong Kong on 16 August, then transited to Sasebo, Japan, for repairs.

Upon her return to the waters off Vietnam, Walker reported to Coral Sea for duty as her escort and spent the majority of September in various antisubmarine warfare exercises.

On 1 October 1967, the escort destroyer returned to antisubmarine warfare (ASW) exercises, then headed for upkeep at Yokosuka prior to preceding to the eastern Pacific.

Walker arrived at Pearl Harbor on 23 October and spent a month in post-deployment leave, type training, and a reserve cruise.

Walker spent the first seven months of 1968 in her home port conducting type training and preparing for a final western Pacific deployment.

After a fuel stop at Subic Bay, Walker continued to Cebu, Philippines, arriving on 18 December as part of Operation Handclasp.

Walker and Taylor visited Wollongong and Melbourne, Australia; and Auckland, New Zealand, before arriving back at Pearl Harbor on 28 February.