In January 1942, the destroyer attacked an unidentified U-boat while escorting the convoy SC-63 without visible results. Later escorted the convoy HX-169 and on 2 February, the destroyer attacked another U-boat contact, while escorting a Norwegian merchant, again without results, then escorted the convoy ON-59. On 22 February, the destroyer attacked a possible U-boat off Ambrose Light ship for five hours in 12 attacks, dropping all 57 depth charges, but only some oil slicks were seen on the surface.

At 10.57 hours on 28 February, USS Jacob Jones (DD 130) was hit by two torpedoes from U-578, while proceeding completely blacked out at 15 knots. The first torpedo struck on the port side just aft of the bridge and ignited the ship´s magazine. The explosion completely destroyed the bridge, the chart room and the officer´s and petty officer´s quarters. As the ship stopped, the second torpedo struck on the port side about 40 feet forward of the fantail and carried away the after part of the ship above the keel plates and shafts and destroyed the after crew´s quarters. The ship remained afloat for 45 minutes, allowing about 30 survivors to abandon ship on four or five rafts. But as the stern sank, the unsecured depth charges exploded, killing several survivors on a nearby raft.
Some hours later, an US Army observation plane sighted the life rafts and reported their position to USS Eagle 56 (PE 56) on Inshore Patrol. The corvette was forced to abandon her search after three hours, due to strong winds and rising seas. She had picked up 12 survivors, but one of them died en route to Cape May. The search for survivors continued for two days, but was fruitless.