"Mesquite" was engaged in placing and maintaining aids to navigation in the Milne Bay Area for two months. On June 19, 1944 she arrived at Wakde Island less than a month after it was taken from the Japanese. She placed buoys in the area for two months and then moved on to Manus Island once again placing and maintaining buoys and other aids to navigation. By July 16, 1945 "Mesquite" was buoy tending in the Philippines. She spent the next year maintaining aids to navigation in the Philippines. She sailed back to the United States via Guam, and Hawaii, arriving at San Francisco on August 12, 1947.