All of the class served in World War II, initially on Neutrality Patrols in the Atlantic and Caribbean. In early 1942 "Warrington" and "Sampson" were transferred to the Southeast Pacific Area, where they primarily escorted convoys between the Panama Canal and the Society Islands. In mid-1943 these two were transferred to the Southwest Pacific Area and operated near New Guinea and in the Solomon Islands; the others operated off Brazil and in the Caribbean and South Atlantic. In May 1944 all were transferred to the North Atlantic to support the invasion of Normandy, which "Somers", "Davis", and "Jouett" were directly involved in. "Somers" and "Jouett" supported the invasion of southern France in August. "Warrington" foundered in a hurricane in the Bahamas in September 1944. The others escorted convoys for the remainder of the war, and were scrapped by 1947.