She was laid down on 29 July 1943 at Newark, New Jersey, by the Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Co.; launched on 17 October 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Eleanor Wesson; and commissioned on 11 November 1943.

After transiting the Panama Canal, Wesson departed Balboa on the 19th, bound for Hawaii in company with Riddle (DE-185), and arrived at Pearl Harbor on 1 February.

The destroyer escort set course for Majuro, also in the Marshalls, on 4 March 1944 and, in company with Steele (DE-8), sailed for Oahu three days later, screening Cambria (APA-36).

Wesson arrived at Pearl Harbor on 13 March and spent a week there undergoing minor repairs and receiving fuel, stores, and provisions.

Wesson returned to Hawaii on 13 May and received repairs and conducted anti-submarine exercises before getting underway on 27 May to escort a convoy to Majuro.

Having moored at Majuro harbor on 3 June, Wesson departed three days later for a rendezvous with Task Group (TG) 58.1 to conduct fueling operations.

On 12 June, she made rendezvous with Copahee (CVE-12) and Evans (DD-552) ; and, two days later, the destroyer escort took position in the screen while fueling operations were in progress.

On 2 September, Wesson got underway to rendezvous with Sitkoh Bay (CVE-86) and Barnes (CVE-20) and proceed in company with the escort carriers to Manus in the Admiralty Islands.

The force arrived at Seeadler Harbor, Manus, on 10 September and, four days later, sortied for a rendezvous off the Palau Islands in the Western Carolines.

After screening the oiler's entrance into Mugai Channel on 26 January, the destroyer proceeded independently to Ulithi Atoll and remained there into February.

On the 5th, Wesson – as part of Escort Division 44 – set her course for the Marianas and made stops at Apra Harbor, Guam; Saipan; and Tanapag.

The next day, Wesson and Barton (DD-599) helped to protect Tennessee (BB-43), Nevada (BB-36), Birmingham (CL-62), St. Louis (CL-49), and Wichita (CA-45) while they shelled southern Okinawa.

As the Japanese air arm had been decimated by this point in the war, the lack of trained and experienced pilots led to its most extensive deployment of kamikaze attacks during this battle.

A week later, Wesson sailed for San Francisco, California, where – from 17 May to 25 June – she received an overhaul while her battle damage was being repaired.

On 16 September, Wesson and Foreman (DE-633) sailed to waters west of Okinawa to avoid a typhoon and returned to Buckner Bay the following day.

On 24 September 1945, the ship – with Alvin C. Cockrell (DE-366) and Cecil J. Doyle (DE-368) – got underway to screen a unit of TF-51 built around Makin Island (CVE-93) and Santee (CVE-29).

After supporting two days of flight operations and exploding several mines, the destroyer escort returned to Wakanoura Wan after the task unit had been dissolved.

October 1945 began with Wesson and McGinty (DE-365) escorting California (BB-44), Tennessee (BB-43), Makin Island (CVE-93), and Lunga Point (CVE-94) to Tokyo Bay.

On 3 November, Wesson got underway for Naha Ho, then proceeded to escort two merchant ships and an Army transport to Jinsen, Korea.

She returned to Buckner Bay, Okinawa, on 10 November, embarked passengers for Guam and Pearl Harbor, then sailed the next day, escorting the former Stewart (DD-224).

Wesson shifted to the inactive fleet berthing area at Green Cove Springs, Florida, to prepare for eventual inactivation.