On 6 October, "Shaw" headed west again, reaching Nouméa on the 18th and Milne Bay, New Guinea, on the 24th. Now a unit of the 7th Amphibious Force, "Shaw" escorted reinforcements to Lae and Finschhafen for the remainder of October and during November. Following an unsuccessful diversionary assault by Army troops against Umtingalu, New Britain, on 15 December, "Shaw" recovered survivors from two rubber boats and escorted and back to Buna, Papua New Guinea.