Departing the Normandy area 18 July 1944 "Gherardi" steamed to Malta where she joined a British–American escort carrier task force which trained for the invasion of Southern France on 15 August. On 9 August 1944 "Gherardi" rendezvoused with the carrier strike group and maneuvered into the launching areas. For two weeks "Gherardi" screened the carriers while strike after strike was made in support of the invasion. Southern France now secured, "Gherardi" departed for the states, reaching New York 16 September. Immediately work started to convert her to a high speed minesweeper.