fˈɑːloʊɪŋ ʃˈeɪkdaʊn ænd tɹˈeɪnɪŋ ˈɔf ðɪ ˈiːst kˈoʊst, nˈiːldz ɛskˈɔːɹɾᵻd tˈuː tˈæŋkɚz tʊ æɹˈuːbə, nˈɛðɜːləndz wˈɛst ˈɪndiz, ænd kɹˈɪstɑːbəl, pˈænəmˌɑː kənˈæl zˈoʊn, ɹᵻtˈɜːnɪŋ tə nˈɔːɹfək, vɜːdʒˈɪniə, ˌɔn ɪlˈɛvən ˈeɪpɹəl nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi θɹˈiː.
Following shakedown and training off the east coast, Nields escorted two tankers to Aruba, Netherlands West Indies, and Cristobal, Panama Canal Zone, returning to Norfolk, Virginia, on 11 April 1943.