USS Solomons spent the next four weeks in the Astoria-Puget Sound area undergoing post-trial shakedown, tests, and exercises. Departing Astoria on December 20, 1943, and headed for Alameda, California. She sailed independently but did receive air coverage from Navy blimps during the day. She arrived three days later on December 23, 1943. She departed on December 24, 1943 headed for San Fransico and arrived Christmas day. Following operations out of San Diego, she sailed for Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 30, 1943.

On January 6, 1944, USS Solomons loaded aircraft and supplies there, embarked passengers, and departed on the 9th for San Diego. She was escorted by the destroyer escort USS Duffy. The ship also conducted firing exercises enroute to California. Arriving at San Diego on January 14, 1944, USS Solomons conducted battle practice off the coast of southern California until the end of the month. She departed San Diego on the January 30, 1944, accompanied by her sister ship USS Tripoli and the destroyers USS Fitch and USS Decatur bound for Norfolk, Virginia. During her approach to the Panama Canal, USS Solomons planes participated in a simulated aerial attack on the canal. The carrier arrived at Balboa on February 9, 1944 embarked passengers, and departed for Norfolk two days later. On February 12, 1944 a radar contact was made and torpedo defense was sounded. USS Fitch left the formation to investigate but there was no further radar contacts. The ship arrived in Norfolk two days later on February 16, 1944. Upon arrival the ship was put into dry-dock until the March 19, 1944. After repairs were finished the loading of planes, supplies, and aviation stores commenced and the USS Solomons got underway on March 21, 1944 bound for Recife, Prenambuco Brazil where she was to report for duty to the Commander, Fourth Fleet. The destroyer escorts USS Eisner and USS Garfield Thomas joined the USS Solomons before they departed Norfolk. While enroute to Brazil air operations were conducted. On March 25, 1944 a torpedo bomber crashed into the after part of the Solomons flight deck. USS Eisner quickly picked up the pilot and crew. On March 31, 1944 the destroyer escorts USS Trumpeter, USS Straub and USS Gustafson joined the USS Solomons. On April 6, 1944 a sound contact was reported but further investigation proved negative. They arrived in Recife, Brazil on April 13, 1944 and reported for duty with the 4th Fleet. The Composite Squadron Nine was disembarked to the Ibura Airfield, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil. On the next day, she got underway for her first antisubmarine patrol. This cruise, which lasted until the April 30, 1944, Her next antisubmarine patrol, May 4-20, 1944, also proved uneventful. Her third patrol, however, was to be more successful. Departing Recife in June 1, 1944, USS Solomons was soon involved in her sole U-boat engagement of the war. On 15 June, while conducting air operations a sound contact was received. Ensign Edwards, a pilot from the USS Solomons reported contact with an enemy submarine some 50 miles from the carrier. No further communication was ever received from Ensign Edwards. The destroyer escorts USS Straub and USS Herzog were immediately directed to the position of the contact and ordered to conduct a square search. The pilot, who had made the initial contact on the submarine, was shot down by enemy antiaircraft fire. Lieutenant Commander Avery, another pilot from the USS Solomons sighted the wake at 1654 of a fully surfaced submarine. When he was 8 miles from the submarine it altered course and as the plane closed the distance the sub began to run in circles of about 1,000 feet in diameter, successfully keeping the aircraft on its stern. During maneuvers intense anti-aircraft fire was directed at pilot as he circled the submarine at a range of 4,000 yards awaiting assistance. Ensign Wadsworth in Fighting Squadron-17, Ensign McMahon in Fighting Squadron-23, and Ensign Spear in Attack Bomber- Squadron-ll were about to land aboard the carrier when the contact report was made. They were vectored to the scene of the contact. USS Straub and USS Herzog were ordered to proceed to the scene of the contact immediately. McMahon and Wadsworth commenced strafing runs on the port and starboard quarters respectively, while Spear and Avery made rocket attacks on the submarine. The fighters effectively strafed the sub while Spear and Avery fired 14 rockets in pairs, 12 of which hit the submarine about the conning tower and forward of the conning tower. After this attack, in which four planes passed over the sub in a period of 10 seconds, the submarine straightened out, trailing oil, at a slow speed, and still directing anti-aircraft fire at the planes . Lieutenant (j.g.) Chamberlain and Lieutenant (j.g.) Weigle then took off to proceed to the scene of the attack. Weigle was directed to make a rocket attack, preceded by McMahon, who made another strafing run on the submarine. Of eight rockets fired by Weigle, six of then hit in the lethal area directly in front of the conning tower. The fighters were out of ammunition and were ordered back to the carrier. The submarine's speed had been reduced to 3 knots and it was trailing large quantities of greenish-yellow oil. Chamberlain was directed to begin a depth charge run on the submarine and, in the face of anti-aircraft fire, went in to an altitude of less than 50 feet above the conning tower before he released two depth charges. The depth charges caused a violent explosion which engulfed his plane and started a fire in the, bomb bay and center cockpit. He was able to make a water landing about 500 yards ahead of the submarine. Immediately after his attack the submarine began to sink bow first. Thirty to fourty survivors were observed in the water. USS Straub reported that 20 survivors, including the commanding officer were rescued. It was learned from the rescued prisoners that Ensign Edwards who had made the original contact was shot down. The ships then steamed on, conducting her air operations. On June 23, 1944, USS Solomons arrived in Recife and commenced refueling from the dock. The prisoners were transferred to Commander Fourth Fleet authorities. On July 1, 1944, the pilots that took part in the sinking of the submarine were decorated onboard the USS Solomons. The remainder of July was occupied by intense air operations off the coast of Brazil. August 1, 1944 found the USS Solomons in company with the destroyer escorts USS Alger, USS Trumpeter and USS Straub, conducting barrier operations against enemy submarines. However no contacts were made and on August 8, 1944 she entered the harbor of Rio de Janeiro. Accompanied once again by USS Alger, USS Trumpeter and USS Straub, she departed the following day for Recife. She arrived August 12, 1944 and commenced, loading stores and fresh provisions aboard. On August 15, 1944 USS Solomons departed Recife enroute to Norfolk Virginia, arriving on August 25, 1944. Until September 22, 1944 she held gunnery exercises and various tests off the coast of Norfolk. She left on September 23, 1944 for Staten Island, N.Y with the destroyer escorts USS Gentry and USS Traw. She arrived on September 25, 1944 and moored to pier No.14. She embarked 150 Army Airmen together with their P-47 aircraft. Preparations were completed for a long voyage. She departed on October 6, 1944. She steamed to rendezvous with a convoy enroute to Casablanca, French Morocco. Arriving back in the United States on October 17, 1944. The ship departed ten days later in convoy, conducting operations enroute to Narragansett Bay Rhode Island. The ships arrived on November 7, 1944 and refueled. The remainder of the month saw USS Solomons engaged in various types of carrier operations. On December 13, 1944 in company with the destroyer USS Broome she departed for Norfolk, Virginia for emergency repairs.

After completing repairs, extensive drills were carried out until January 3, 1945 when the USS Solomons departed for Port Everglades, Florida, arriving on January 6, 1945. While moored at Port Everglades on January 8, 1945, Captain M.E. Crist, USN, was relieved as commanding officer by Captain R.S. Moss, USN. The remainder of January and the month of February were spent conducting rigid air drills off the coast of Florida. Steaming in company with the destroyers USS Lea and USS Bernadou, USS Solomons conducted air operations in which 43 F6F pilots were qualified on March 1, 1945. She returned to port shortly thereafter and picked up 12 pilots who reported aboard for temporary duty. On March 7, 1945, additional planes reported aboard for flight operations, and when she moored on March 10, 1945, 42 officers departed, having completed their temporary duty. On March 17, 1945, 58 more fighter pilots were qualified in carrier landings. The remainder of the month was spent conducting air operations. The period March 18, 1945 to September 30, 1945 was occupied in more air operations off the East Coast.

On 15 May 1946, Solomons was decommissioned at Boston Naval Shipyard and struck from the Navy List on 5 June. Sold for scrap to the Patapsco Scrap Corp., Bethlehem, Pa., she was delivered to its agent on 22 December at Newport, R.I.