Upon completion of a short training period at Norfolk, Virginia, "Nelson" got underway 7 June to take part in the invasion of Sicily. During the crossing she screened the cruiser , arriving at Algiers on 20 June. Serving as flagship for Commander Task Force 81 (TF 81) during the Sicily operation, "Nelson" was assigned duty with the central part of the Western Task Force. This group was to land assault troops on beachheads near Gela, Sicily, to expand the captured area, and to seize the nearby airfield at Ponte Olivo.