The first landing was a part of Operation Galvanic in which the main force was directed at Tarawa atoll, but also involved the capture of Makin atoll to develop airfields. For the Makin operation "Leonard Wood", under the command of Captain Merlin O'Neill, USCG, was assigned to the Northern Attack Force, Task Force 52 and was the Task Unit 52.1.1. flagship of the Assault Transport Division (TRANSDIV 20) that also included , and . On 20 November 1943, the forces arrived off Makin with the assault transports joined by one attack cargo ship, , the landing ship dock and three LSTs (LST-31, LST-78 and LST-179) to land 6,500 troops on Butaritari Island. The ship remained off shore, retiring far offshore at night and returning to the transport area at daylight, until 24 November when the larger transports departed for Pearl Harbor with the assault troops embarked.