The tank landing ship left Pearl Harbor on 19 January and set a course for Kwajalein. She anchored off that atoll on 1 February, and began discharging her cargo in support of operations in the Marshalls. On 12 February, the ship began embarking troops for the invasion of Eniwetok and, five days later, sortied with LST Group 8. She beached at Eniwetok, on 20 February, and began landing her soldiers and discharging cargo ashore. "LST-31" remained there until 20 March, when she got underway for Hawaii. She stopped en route at Kwajalein and Tarawa, to take on cargo and passengers and finally reached Pearl Harbor on 15 April. Following repairs in dry dock there, she resumed operations on 10 May, with a series of training exercises in Hapuna Bay, Hawaii. On 25 May, "LST-31" left Hawaiian waters, bound for Eniwetok. Upon her arrival at that atoll on 7 June, she refueled and took on cargo in preparation for operations against Saipan. The vessel arrived off Saipan, on 14 June, and began discharging troops and supplies ashore. She cleared the area on 23 June, and returned to Eniwetok to replenish her cargo.