On 27 May 1944, the United States began "Operation Horlicks" to retake Biak. "Kinu", "Aoba", and destroyers "Shikinami", and departed Tarakan to reinforce Biak with 2,300 troops from Zamboanga on Mindanao; however, after being sighted by B-24 bombers and receiving word of the American invasion of Saipan, the operation was canceled and the troops were disembarked at Sorong instead.