Following shakedown off San Diego, "Rowe" got underway for Pearl Harbor 24 May 1944. After 2 weeks of additional underway training in the Hawaiian Islands, she completed a round-trip escort run to Eniwetok, 16 June to 2 July, and on 3 August 1944 sailed as flagship of Destroyer Squadron 57 (DesRon 57) for Adak, Alaska, to report for duty with the 9th Fleet. She engaged in underway training there, and participated in three strikes against the Kurils; Matsuwa To Island on 21 November 1944, Suribati Wan on 3 January 1945, and Kurabu Zaki, Paramushiro Island on 18 February 1945. On 18 April, Destroyer Division 113 (DesDiv 113) was detached from the North Pacific Force and sailed for Pearl Harbor.