Destroyer

With the outbreak of hostilities in Europe in at the beginning of September 1939, Overton recommissioned on 26 September 1939 and was assigned to the Neutrality Patrol. Moored at Boston, Massachusetts on 7 December 1941, when the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor brought the United States into World War II, her assignments changed little with American entry into the war. Escort of convoys and antisubmarine warfare (ASW) patrols continued, at first to Iceland and then in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. Between July 1942 and February 1943, she performed similar missions along the United States East Coast. Then, from 7 February until 26 May 1943, she escorted convoys between New York and Casablanca in French Morocco. Overhaul followed and toward the end of June 1943 Overton joined one of the first escort carrier groups, Task Group 21.11 centered on the escort carrier USS Santee (CVE-29). With that group, she covered the Norfolk, Virginia-to-Casablanca convoy route. On 14 and 30 July 1943, planes from her group were credited with sinking the German submarines U-160 and U-43, respectively.

High-speed transport

Overton returned to Norfolk, Virginia, on 6 August 1943 and emerged from refit as a high-speed transport, redesignated APD-23 effective 21 August 1943. On 22 October 1943, she departed Norfolk for the Pacific. She arrived at Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, on 12 November 1943, underwent further training, and, on 22 January 1944, headed west with the Advance Southern Transport Group bound for Kwajalein to take part in the Battle of Kwajalein, part of the Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign. Before dawn on 31 January 1944, she put reconnaissance troops ashore at Gehh (from where they moved to Ninni) and at Gea to control the Gea Pass into the southern end of Kwajalein Lagoon. She then took up bombardment, fire support, and reconnaissance duties off Kwajalein. On the 4 February 1944, she covered the capture of Bigej and, on 8 February 1944, departed for Pearl Harbor and then the West Coast of the United States. By 29 May 1944, however, she was back in the Pacific Theater, en route to Saipan with United States Marines embarked to take part in the Battle of Saipan. Until 24 June 1944, she screened the transport area and patrolled off Tinian, then retired to Eniwetok to escort convoys to Saipan. In July 1944 she resumed patrol and bombardment duties off Tinian during the Battle of Tinian, then covered tank landing craft (LCTs) bound for Guam, and, at the end of July 1944, escorted tank landing ships (LSTs) to Pearl Harbor.

Overton steamed west again on 15 September 1944, this time to Manus, and from there, on 12 October 1944, to the Philippines to cover Underwater Demolition Team (UDT) personnel put ashore prior to the landings on Leyte. Supply convoy assignments preceded her next amphibious operation, the invasion of Lingayen Gulf. On 27 December 1944, she departed Humboldt Bay on the coast of New Guinea. On 6 January 1945, she entered Lingayen Gulf and on 7 January 1945 once again covered UDT personnel ashore. Throughout the landings and until 12 January 1945, Overton screened heavy units and transports, then retired to Leyte.

From Leyte, Overton steamed to Ulithi Atoll, from where she screened the Fast Carrier Task Force′s logistics support group to underway replenishment areas until early March 1945. She next patrolled off Iwo Jima during the Battle of Iwo Jima, and, on 10 March 1945, resumed escort assignments. A run to Leyte was followed by convoy duty to Okinawa. She arrived at Okinawa on 11 April 1945 during the Battle of Okinawa and patrolled on radar picket station until 15 April 1945, then headed for Saipan. From there, she proceeded to the United States.