On 4 May 1942, "Yorktown" took part in operation against the Imperial Japanese Navy's (IJN) Invasion of Tulagi in the Solomon Islands. McCuskey flew an afternoon patrol over the Florida Islands, where he and his division of four Grumman F4F Wildcats (led by Lieutenant(jg) Bill Leonard) strafed a beached Japanese minesweeper near Tulagi and the destroyer Yūzuki heading towards Savo Island. This resulted in the death of the destroyer's captain and several of the ship's crew. On the return flight, McCuskey and his wingman, Ensign John P. Adams, got separated from the rest of division and were forced to land on a beach on the south-east part of Guadalcanal. They were helped by the natives before the destroyer "Hammann" picked them up. As result of getting lost and ditching at Guadalcanal, he was grounded for two days by the squadron commander. This prevented him from flying the evening mission of 7 May with Lieutenant Commander James Flatley that intercepted the IJN strike force (despite him begging to go).