From 14 December 1941 to 17 March 1942, The Dale screened and , covering the strikes on the Salamaua–Lae campaign area of New Guinea on 10 March. The Dale returned to Pearl Harbor on escort and training duty until 11 May when she departed for Mare Island and an overhaul. On 5 June she sailed from San Francisco, with others, to back up the task forces engaged in the Battle of Midway from 6 July to 17 August. She was assigned to convoy duty between Viti Levu, Fiji, and Efate and Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, in preparation for the assault on Guadalcanal. She covered the landings, escorted transports loaded with reinforcements to the bitterly contested island from 18 August to 21 September, then sailed to Pearl Harbor for escort and training duty until 10 November. She sailed to screen the battleships and into Pearl Harbor, continuing with the USS South Dakota to San Francisco.