Pre-World War II Dallas operated on the
United States East Coast, participating in exercises and maneuvers from her base at
Charleston, South Carolina. She arrived at
Philadelphia on 12 April 1922 and was
decommissioned there on 26 June. Recommissioned on 14 April 1925,
Dallas served with various destroyer
squadrons, acting as
flagship for Squadrons 9, 7, and 1. Until 1931, she cruised along the U.S. East Coast and in the
Caribbean, engaging in gunnery exercises, battle
torpedo practice, fleet maneuvers, and
fleet problems; participating in joint
United States Army-U.S. Navy exercises; training members of the
United States Naval Reserve; and serving as experimental ship at the
Naval Torpedo Station,
Newport, Rhode Island. She returned to
convoy and patrol duties until 7 September 1943, when she joined the escort for a convoy bound for the amphibious landings on the mainland of
Italyin
Operation Avalanche.
Dallas screened the transport group during the landings at
Salerno on 9 September 1943, and joined a southbound convoy on 11 September 1943, rescuing two downed British airmen on her way to Oran. She escorted reinforcements to Salerno, then served on escort and patrol in the
Mediterranean until 11 December 1943, when she got underway for the U.S. East Coast, arriving at Philadelphia on 24 December 1943. Following a thorough overhaul at Charleston, South Carolina,
Dallas escorted two convoys to North Africa between 23 February and 9 June 1944. On the second voyage, the escorts came under attack by enemy
torpedo planes on 11 May 1944, but successfully defended the convoy;
Dallas shot down at least one plane, and damaged others. She served on the U.S. East Coast on various training and convoy assignments. On 31 March 1945, her name was changed to
Alexander Dallas to avoid confusion with the planned
heavy cruiser , named after
Dallas,
Texas, rather than Alexander J. Dallas. == Fate ==