On 28 November, the cargo ship sailed for Finschhafen, New Guinea; paused there on the 29th; and then pressed on to Bougainville, Solomon Islands, arriving in Empress Augusta Bay on 1 December. She embarked members of the 37th Infantry Division and got underway on the 16th for training exercises in Huon Gulf, New Guinea. "Alshain" finished the exercises and returned to Manus on the 21st. On the last day of 1944, she sortied with TG 79.1 for the assault on Luzon, Philippines.