On 1 January 1944, she steamed into Pearl Harbor to prepare for the invasion of Kwajalein scheduled for 31 January. On station that date she bombarded adjoining Enubuj and provided close fire support. Screening and bombardment assignments continued until 3 February, when she began two escort missions to Guadalcanal terminating at Efate, New Hebrides. "McKee" sortied with TF 37 on 15 March, and participated with its battleships 5 days later in the diversionary shelling of Kavieng, New Ireland. The destroyer next covered the initial landings on Humboldt Bay, New Guinea on 23 April, and then escorted resupply convoys to the various beachheads of the Hollandia operation.