"Stembel" conducted sea trials in the Casco Bay area and held her shakedown cruise in Bermuda waters from 11 August to 25 August. After a post-shakedown overhaul, she got underway on 2 October for San Juan, Puerto Rico, via Norfolk. Upon her arrival, she was assigned to a group of warships which sailed for Morocco on the 8th and arrived at Casablanca on 15 October. Three days later, she began a long journey to Hawaii, via Trinidad, the Panama Canal Zone, and San Diego.