Departing San Diego, California, 18 January 1943, "Card" arrived at Hampton Roads, Virginia, 1 February for training in Chesapeake Bay. She ferried aircraft and troops for the North African invasion from New York to Casablanca, 14 May–1 June, returning to Norfolk, Virginia, 5 July. She was reclassified CVE-11 on 15 July and steamed from Norfolk, as flagship of TG 21.14, one of the hunter-killer groups formed for offensive operations against German submarines. Her first deployment was from 27 July to 10 September.