On 25 June 1942, while returning from a combat mission in the Aleutian Islands and flying over Japanese-controlled waters, Raven sighted the U.S. Navy submarineUSS S-27, which had run aground on Amchitka Island. Raven landed in a rough sea, embarked 13 of the submarine's crew, and took off, all without damage to his plane. He safely returned them to Dutch Harbor on Unalaska Island. All of the men of S-27 were later rescued due to the information on their whereabouts provided by Raven.
During the Aleutian Islands campaign, Raven conducted reconnaissance and bombing runs against Japanese-occupied Kiska Island until he was lost at sea while on a mission on 9 August 1942. For the S-27 incident, Raven was awarded the Air Medal for meritorious achievement and extreme courage while effecting a rescue at sea. Posthumously, he also received the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Julius A. Raven was decommissioned on 31 May 1946 at Green Cove Springs, Florida, and placed in reserve there as part of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet. In July 1959, she was moved to the Texas Group, Atlantic Reserve Fleet, where she remained until stricken from the Navy List on 15 January 1966.