William Jones was laid down on 2 October 1918, at San Francisco, California, by the Bethlehem Steel Corporation.

Initially assigned to Division 34, Squadron 12, Destroyer Force, Pacific Fleet, William Jones operated off the west coast on duty in connection with the Officers' Engineering School until October 1921, cruising as far north as Seattle, Washington and as far south as the waters off the Panama Canal Zone.

After the ship's return to San Diego, she participated in tactical exercises off Point Loma and, later, in joint Army-Navy maneuvers off Port Angeles, Washington, in July 1929.

Upon the conclusion of the joint exercises, the destroyer arrived at San Diego late in August 1929 and remained inactive there until decommissioned on 24 May 1930.

In accordance with the London treaty for the limitation and reduction of naval armaments, the warship was struck from the Navy list on 13 August 1930 and sold for scrap on 25 February 1932.