Following shakedown out of Great Sound, Bermuda, Williams underwent post-shakedown availability at Boston, Massachusetts, before shifting to New London, Connecticut, on 11 January 1945.

Williams escorted the attack transport to Balboa, in the Panama Canal Zone, and subsequently sailed for the U.S. West Coast in company with USS Sims, arriving at San Diego, California, on 7 February.

Returning via Tulagi to Espiritu Santo on the 30th, Williams shifted to Nouméa soon thereafter, to rendezvous with USS Vulcan and escort the repair ship to Ulithi where they arrived on 15 April.

Completing this mission on the 7th, Williams operated between Manus and the Marshalls into the latter part of June when she escorted USS Lander to Eniwetok.

Williams underwent permanent repairs at Guam before she sailed via Pearl Harbor for the west coast of the United States.

Stripped to a hulk, the former destroyer escort was towed to sea from San Diego and sunk as a target by shellfire and missiles launched from both ships and planes on 29 June 1968.