 Upon completing this training, she embarked marines and filled her holds with ammunition, amphibious tractors, gasoline, and general supplies and got underway for operations in the Solomon Islands.The vessel arrived off Guadalcanal on 7 August, where she disembarked her troops, unloaded her cargo, and helped rescue survivors from the "USS Astoria", sunk after the Battle of Savo Island.She left the Solomons on 9 August, bound for New Caledonia.