Assigned to the Pacific Fleet after commissioning, Maury was operating out of Pearl Harbor when the United States entered World War II. She was steaming with Enterprise, (CV-6), en route to Hawaii from TF 8 operations near Wake, when word of the Japanese attack reached her soon after 0900, 7 December 1941. The ship went to general quarters as the force began an unsuccessful search for the Japanese Fleet. By the time the force returned to Pearl Harbor only one enemy vessel had been sighted and sunk, by carrier aircraft, the submarine I-70 on the 10th. For the remainder of 1941, Maury, in the screen of Enterprise, stayed in the Hawaiian area to guard against a follow up attack by the Japanese.
With the new year, 1942, the Japanese advanced south and east through the islands of the southwest Pacific and Maury, with Enterprise and Yorktown (CV 5), headed In that direction for raids on Japanese installations on Maleolap Atoll, Taroa, and Reuters Islands. Striking on 1 February, the carrier forces and bombardment groups completed their missions despite heavy aerial resistance and were back at Pearl Harbor on the 5th. On the 15th the force, now designated TF 16, got underway for Wake and Marcus Islands against which they launched surprise attacks 24 February and 4 March, respectively, returning to Oahu 10 March. There through April she conducted antisubmarine and antiaircraft exercises and served with the offshore patrol.
On 30 April TF 16, with Maury in the screen of the heavier ships, sortied from Pearl Harbor to aid Yorktown and Lexington in the Battle of the Coral Sea. Reaching the scene after the battle was over, the force returned to Hawaii, arriving 28 May. Two days later they sortied again. this time for Midway to repulse an expected assault on that base. On 2 June, having rendezvoused with TF 17 they were in position 350 miles north east of Midway. On the 4th the Battle of Midway commenced as Japanese carrier aircraft flew against installations on the island. By the 7th the American forces had routed the Imperial Navy, sinking four Japanese carriers and one cruiser at the cost of destroyer Harriman (DD-412) and carrier Yorktown.
After Midway the force remained at Pearl Harbor for a month before departing once again for the South Pacific. Steaming via the Tonga Islands. the force headed for the Japanese held Solomons. By 7 August they were 40 miles from the target, Guadalcanal. During the ensuing Tulagi-Guadalcanal landing operations, Maury served as plane guard for Enterprise as she carried out continuous flight operations in support of the assault troops. The destroyer remained in the Solomons area through the Battle of the Eastern Solomons. 24 and 25 August. In that battle, which prevented Japanese reinforcements from reaching Guadalcanal, Enterprise, among others, was severely damaged and TF 16 was ordered to retire to the Tonga Islands. from which they returned to Pearl Harbor, arriving 10 September. On 26 October the force was back in the South Pacific when an enemy force. including carriers, was sighted. Battle was engaged off Santa Cruz and once again Japanese reinforcements were turned back, this time at a higher price which included one carrier damaged. Enterprise, and one lost, Hornet (CV-8).
Maury, spent the next 10 months in the Solomons area.
