With the entrance of the United States into World War II, "Ballard" steamed to Pearl Harbor where she arrived 28 January 1942. "Ballard" performed picket duty during the Battle of Midway, and on 14 June 1942 rescued 35 Japanese seaman from the carrier "Hiryū" who had been adrift since their ship sank on 5 June. Until November 1943 she was engaged in tending patrol planes, laying aircraft buoys, escorting convoys, and patrolling throughout the Eastern Pacific (Phoenix, Midway, Fiji, Espiritu Santo, Guadalcanal, Florida, and New Caledonia).