 "Half Moon" departed for Brisbane on 21 December 1943, remained there until 10 February 1944, and then steamed into a succession of New Guinea ports on the way to her new operating base, Finschafen, New Guinea.There she resumed her support of seaplane operations in the New Guinea theater.After tending seaplanes on air-sea rescue missions from Humboldt Bay, New Guinea, in May 1944, "Half Moon" spent several months substituting for transports in the Pacific area, stopping at Brisbane, Manus Island, Milne Bay, and other ports.