Kammala jumla mai zuwa: Bayan dawowarsa zuwa Amurka a tsakiyar 1942, Wilkes ya halarci Kwalejin Yakin Naval, sannan ya zama Kwamandan Kwamandan sabon jirgin ruwa mai haske, ya kai ta zuwa Bahar Rum don shiga cikin mamayewar Sicily a watan Yulin 1943. Daga watan Agustan 1943, Rear Admiral Wilkes yana da umarni na rundunar amphibious a Ingila da Faransa, suna taka muhimmiyar rawa wajen shirya don mamaye Normandy a watan Yunin 1944, kuma sojojin da ke karkashin jagorancin Wilkes sun kasance a cikin rundunar.
mamaye kudancin Faransa watanni biyu bayan haka. Yayin da Allied ground offensive ya koma Jamus, Wilkes ya kasance mai kula da tashar jiragen ruwa na Amurka da kuma Bases a Faransa, yana taimakawa wajen kai hare-haren tare da gudanar da kayan aiki.