Upon her arrival on the 21st, "William T. Powell" moored alongside and got underway three days later to commence her shakedown. In the ensuing weeks, the new destroyer escort's operations ran the gamut of activities for the ships of her type: exercises with submerged submarines (in her case, the old "R" boat, ; torpedo attack practices; fueling at sea; simulated depth charge and "hedgehog" attacks; shore bombardments, and the inevitable gunnery drills. She operated out of Great Sound, Bermuda, and normally returned to anchor each evening upon the completion of the day's slate of activities.