"Dextrous" sailed from Norfolk, Virginia, 14 November 1943 as a convoy escort, arriving at Bizerte, Tunisia, 3 January 1944. Ten days later she sailed for Naples, Italy, to sweep in the Gulf of Salerno. On 21 January she left Naples for the Anzio-Nettuno beachhead where she swept mines prior to the assault the next day, and patrolled and provided anti-aircraft fire during the bitter fighting ashore. Except for two voyages to Bizerte to replenish, "Dextrous" served off Anzio until 12 August 1944 when she sailed from Naples for pre-invasion minesweeping off the southern coast of France. She swept and patrolled there until 1 October when she put into Bizerte. Escorting a convoy of LSTs, she returned to Norfolk, Virginia, 11 December for overhaul.