Cape Gloucester
On 7 January 1944, "Wilkes" got underway for the Canal Zone along with and transited the canal and arrived at Balboa on 12 January. A week later, "Wilkes" escorted troop-laden SS "Mormacdove", via the Galápagos, Bora Bora, and Nouméa to Milne Bay, New Guinea, where they arrived on 20 February 1944. Five days later, the destroyer got underway for Cape Gloucester, New Britain, made rendezvous with an LST convoy en route, and escorted them to Borgen Bay, Cape Gloucester, Megin Island, Cape Cretin, and the Tami Islands.