Battle of Kula Gulf
As the New Georgia campaign got underway and American forces advanced further up the chain of islands in the southwest Pacific, "Vireo" continued her operations out of Tulagi, Espiritu Santo, or Nouméa. In the pre-dawn darkness of 13 July, the Battle of Kula Gulf was fought between Japanese and American surface forces, the latter augmented by New Zealand cruiser "Leander". In the action which followed, , , and "Leander" were damaged. Later that day, "Vireo", in company with set out to assist in getting the cripples home and towed "Honolulu" to haven at government wharf, Tulagi, where temporary repairs to the cruiser's bow were made.