Battle of Rennell Island
"Washington" returned to screening the carriers of TF 11——and TF 16—"Enterprise"—while "South Dakota" departed for repairs. By late November, Lee's command was reinforced by "North Carolina", followed later by the battleship . These battleships were grouped together as TF 64, still under Lee's command, and they covered convoys to support the fighting in the Solomons into the next year. These operations included covering a group of seven transports carrying elements of the 25th Infantry Division to Guadalcanal from 1 to 4 January 1943. During another of these convoy operations later that month, Lee's battleships were too far south to be able to reach the American cruiser force during the Battle of Rennell Island. "Washington" remained in the south Pacific until 30 April, when she departed Nouméa for Pearl Harbor. On the way, she joined the ships of TF 16. The ships arrived on 8 May.