After arrival on 24 April, "James E. Kyes" operated out of San Diego until sailing for the western Pacific on 23 June 1950, two days before North Korean troops crossed the 38th parallel to sweep down through South Korea. Ordered by President Harry S. Truman to give South Korean troops "cover and support," the Navy placed the 7th Fleet on alert from Formosa to Japan. Standing off Pohang-dong, Korea, on 18 July, "Kyes" provided fire support during landing operations which reinforced U.N. positions at the southern end of the peninsula. She joined on 2 August escorting while that carrier's aircraft struck enemy troop and supply concentrations along Korea's southern and western coasts. Sailing into the Sea of Japan on 11 August, she screened , , and ; and then steamed to Sasebo, Japan on 27 August to prepare for Operation Chromite.