with Division 1 for the United States West Coast, via the Panama Canal, arriving San Diego, California on the 22d. From 1932 to 1938 Fox operated almost continuously in the Pacific with destroyer squadrons of the Scouting Force and Battle Fleet, engaging in fleet tactical and strategical exercises along the coast and cruising to the Canal Zone or Hawaiian area to participate in fleet maneuvers ("problems"). During this period she made two cruises to the Atlantic and Caribbean area; one from April to October 1934, and the other from April to October 1936. On 14 May 1938, Fox departed San Diego for the United States East Coast for decommissioning. She arrived at the Philadelphia Navy Yard on 2 June and was placed out of commission 16 September 1938. World War II Recommissioned 25 September 1939, Fox was assigned to the Atlantic Squadron and from 25 October performed escort and patrol duty along the Atlantic coast and in the Caribbean area until August 1940. Arriving Balboa, Canal Zone, 25 August she performed inshore patrol duty from this port until sailing for San Francisco, California, 25 October. Fox patrolled with the Local Defense Forces, 12th Naval District until departure 2 January 1941 for Seattle, Washington. She patrolled off the coast of Washington and Oregon with Local Defense Forces, 13th Naval District, until December 1941, except while under overhaul from March to June, and while assigned to temporary duty in the 12th Naval District from 20 August to 9 October. On 12 December 1941, Fox departed Bremerton, Washington, en route to Alaska as escort of . She arrived at Dutch Harbor on 18 December, and proceeded as escort for merchant ships to Sitka, Kodiak, and Dutch Harbor, returning to Seattle on 12 February 1942. Following repairs at the Puget Sound Navy Yard, she performed screening duties out of Seattle, acted as ready duty ship at Port Angeles (14–18 March), and made three escort voyages to San Pedro until 10 May 1942. From 21 May 1942 to 20 May 1943, Fox sailed as escort with 12 merchant ship convoys bound for various ports of Alaska, and was modernized at Seattle (3 July – 8 September). On her fourth cruise of this duty, she departed Seattle 22 September 1942 for Dutch Harbor and after screening a transport to Chernofski Bay, departed Dutch Harbor 28 October to escort a convoy of four Soviet submarines to San