Battle of Kolombangara
On 30 June she covered the landings on Rendova to commence the New Georgia campaign, rescuing 300 survivors from the "McCawley" (APA-4) within hours of the completion of the landings. On 5 July she landed 148th Infantry units at Rice Anchorage after softening the landing area with her 5-inch guns. On the 9th and 11th, she participated in the bombardments of Munda and on the night of 12 July joined TG 36.1 in a sweep up the Slot. The Allied ships engaged an enemy cruiser and five destroyers escorting destroyer transports in the Battle of Kolombangara. After that battle, salvage operations on "Gwin" (DD-433) were frustrated by enemy aerial attacks. "Ralph Talbot's" torpedoes sent the damaged destroyer to the bottom.