On 19 November 1943, "I-169" was on patrol in the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and the Marshall Islands when she, "I-19", "I-35", , and "I-175" received orders to proceed to Tarawa Atoll in the Gilbert Islands, where an invasion fleet of some 200 Allied ships was gathering. On 20 November 1943, U.S. forces landed on Tarawa Atoll and Makin Atoll in the Gilberts. In the Battle of Tarawa, the Japanese garrison was destroyed by 23 November, while the Battle of Makin ended with the annihilation of Japanese forces there on 24 November. On 26 November 1943, "I-169" received orders to form a picket line with the submarines "I-19", , and north of Makin Atoll. While "I-169" was running on the surface on 1 December 1943, an American plane detected her, but she was able to dive and escape. While running submerged, she made sound contact on a heavily escorted U.S. convoy but was unable to break through the escort screen and attack. She returned to Truk on 9 December 1943.