On 4 January 1944, she sailed for Hawaii. She joined Task Force (TF) 53 at Pearl Harbor and sortied on 22 January for the invasion of the Marshall Islands. She stood into the transport area off Roi and Namur Islands, Kwajalein Atoll, on 31 January and from then until 6 February, unloaded her cargo and disembarked troops. On 10 February, she arrived at Funafuti, Ellice Islands, where she joined the 3d Fleet. During the remainder of February and into early March, she operated in the Solomon Islands conducting amphibious training exercises with Army troops. On 21 March, she moved to Nouméa, New Caledonia; loaded Army personnel and equipment; and took them to Emirau Island to serve as a garrison force. From Emirau, she embarked troops of the 4th Marine Regiment and took them back to Guadalcanal. Between 20 April and 28 April, she carried elements of the Army's 40th Division to Cape Gloucester, New Britain, and returned the 1st Marine Division to the Russell Islands.