After two weeks in drydock at San Francisco, "Abner Read" got underway on 14 June 1943 for Adak, Territory of Alaska. Upon her arrival, she joined Task Force (TF) 16 and began patrolling the waters around Japanese-occupied Kiska Island in the Aleutians. On 22 July 1943, as part of Task Group 16.22, she took part in a bombardment of Kiska. Between 12 and 15 August 1943, "Abner Read" shelled Kiska in support of Operation Cottage, in which Allied forces landed on Kiska. On 17 August 1943, the American and Canadian forces discovered that Japan had left the island prior to the Allied invasion.