1908 and served as Passed Midshipman aboard the battleship USS Virginia during the cruise around the world with the Great White Fleet. While aboard Virginia, Shafroth visited Trinidad, Rio de Janeiro, Punta Arenas, Valparaíso, Hawaii, Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland, Manila, Yokohama, Singapore, Ceylon, Suez Canal, Port Said, and Gibraltar. Shafroth then spent next three years aboard Virginia with training, participating in the Fleet Exercise in the Caribbean. He was commissioned Ensign on June 6, 1910, after serving two years at sea required then by law. Shafroth was promoted to Lieutenant (junior grade) on June 6, 1913 and served consecutively aboard destroyers USS Jouett, USS Beale, USS Jenkins. While aboard Jenkins, he served as ship's Executive officer under Lieutenant Frederick V. McNair and took part in the American occupation of Veracruz in April 1914. World War I He was detached in September that year and ordered to the Bureau of Steam Engineering in Washington, D.C., where he served under Rear admiral Robert S. Griffin for next three years. While in this capacity, Shafroth was promoted to Lieutenant on August 29, 1916. Following the United States' entry into World War I in April 1917, Shafroth was promoted to the temporary rank of Lieutenant commander and assumed command of destroyer USS Terry at Charleston Navy Yard, South Carolina. The Terry just underwent extensive repairs and upon completion, she began patrolling along the Atlantic coast and escorting merchantmen bound for Europe. Shafroth commanded Terry within the waters infested with enemy submarines and mines and participated in escorting and protecting of important convoys of troops and supplies through these waters. For his service in this capacity, he was decorated with Navy Cross, the United States Navy second-highest decoration awarded for valor in combat. Shafroth was later transferred to command of Submarine Chaser Detachment 3 and was stationed in Berehaven, Ireland until December 1918, when he was ordered back to the United States. Interwar period Upon his return, Shafroth served consecutively aboard destroyers Upshur, Waters, and Philip and participated in the patrols off Azores and Atlantic until March 1920, when he returned to the Bureau of Steam Engineering as Officer-in-Charge of the Fuel Division. In April 1922, he was appointed Aide and Flag Secretary on the staff of Commander, Special Service Squadron, operating in the Caribbean under Rear admiral William C. Cole. In June 1923, Shafroth was transferred to the staff of United States Fleet and served