Empress Augusta Bay
Her return to the Southwest Pacific meant a resumption of patrol and convoy escort duty to support the continuing Solomon Islands campaign. which by this time had progressed farther north. On 30 October 1943, she joined a convoy off Tetere Point, Guadalcanal, and steamed for Bougainville. The convoy arrived off Cape Torokina on 31 October 1943, and "Southard" joined other elements of the fleet in bombarding Bougainville. On 1 November 1943, U.S. troops landed on the island, beginning the Bougainville campaign. After minesweeping operations in Empress Augusta Bay, she made for Florida Island, entering Purvis Bay on 3 November 1943. On 7 November 1943, she returned to Bougainville to investigate the shoals along the approaches to Empress Augusta Bay. Then she resumed patrols off Guadalcanal.