Wilkes got underway and soon made contact with Convoy ON 59, taking station and relieving the British escort vessels. She arrived at Boston on 8 February, requiring docking. On 12 February 1942, Wilkes received orders to depart Boston on 15 February and to proceed to Casco Bay, Maine, on a routine "milk run" in company with and to join en route. Truxtun was delayed, so Wilkes went ahead and met Pollux according to schedule on 15 February; Truxtun joined up the following day. While en route to Argentia, Newfoundland, at about 03:50 on 18 February 1942, Wilkes'''s commanding officer was awakened by the navigator and informed that the ship was believed to be northward of the plotted track. Visibility was poor, and weather conditions prevented obtaining radio direction finder bearings. Continuous depth soundings were taken, and all were in excess of 30 fathoms (55 m) except one sounding of 15 fathoms (27 m) which was obtained just prior to grounding. The signal, "Emergency stop", to warn the other vessels was immediately given by searchlight, and the message. "Wilkes aground do not know which side" was broadcast on the TBS. The words, "Wilkes aground", were also broadcast on the distress frequency. However, no message was received from Pollux or Truxtun until after these ships had also grounded. Wilkes found herself stranded to port of Pollux, Truxtun to starboard. About 07:00, Wilkes succeeded in backing clear of the beach. After seeing that Pollux had received help from , she left the scene. However, Pollux and Truxtun were totally lost, along with the 205 men who went down with them. The casualty list from the two lost ships was the Atlantic Fleet's largest list of the war up to that time. No deaths occurred on Wilkes. She remained at Argentia for six days before beginning a voyage to Boston for repairs. On 1 April 1942, Wilkes was assigned to Task Force 21 (TF 21) at the Boston Navy Yard where she conducted post repair trials and underwent a three-day availability. On 6 April, Wilkes got underway for Casco Bay, Maine, escorting . On 8 April, the destroyer sighted the British oil tanker SS Davila. One minute later, the two ships collided — Davilas bow struck Wilkes on the port side abreast of her number one fireroom. After the two ships separated, the destroyer returned to Boston where she entered the navy yard for