She conducted landing exercises with marines at Hawkes Bay, New Zealand, between 20 and 22 October – to prepare for the upcoming landings at Tarawa – before returning to Wellington. The attack transport departed that port on 1 November, transporting units of the 2nd Marines, bound for Efate, the staging area for the assault on the Gilbert Islands. After staying at Efate from 8 to 13 November, the ship sortied for Tarawa on the 13th as part of TF-53.