 Nyorai kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - Mukutanga kwaJanuary 1944, Australia yakadzokera kuMilne Bay, isati yaenda kuSydney pana January 12 nokuda kwokuvandudzwa kwamavhiki masere. Mukati mokugadziridza, Kaputeni Farncomb akatsiviwa naKaputeni Emile Dechaineux. Mangwanani aFebruary 7, Crutchley akatamisa mureza wake ku; basa reFlagship rakadzoserwa ku Australia musi wa21 Kurume, mazuva matatu mushure mekunge adzokera kuTask Force 74 kuMilne Bay. Mangwanani aApril 20, Australia neTask Force 74 vakasangana nemamwe mapoka matatu ebasa reSeventh Fleet kure neManus Island: simba rakabatanidzwa raifanira kutsigira kumhara kweamphibious kuAitape, Humboldt Bay, uye Tanahmerah Bay. Manheru akatevera, Australia yakaparadzana neboka rayo rebasa neboka rokurwisa kuTanahmerah Bay. Flotilla yakasvika pamhenderekedzo yegungwa pa 03:00 musi wa 22 April, uye pa 06:00, Australia yakatungamirira hafu yeawa pamhenderekedzo yegungwa kubhomba kuti ifukidze yekutanga yemafungu ekumhara. Pashure pokurwiswa, uko kwakabvumira 24th Infantry Division kumhara nokushorwa kuduku, ngarava dzehondo dzakadzokera shure kudzivirira vatakuri. Gare gare zuva iroro, Australia yakatungamirira magwa maviri okuparadza kumhenderekedzo yegungwa, ichiparadza ngarava dzose dzeJapan kana kuti nzvimbo dzokurasira zvinhu dzaiwanikwa. Task Force 74 yakaramba iri munharaunda yeHollandia kwemwedzi wose kuti ipe rubatsiro kune mauto akaburuka, uye yakasvika kuSeeadler Harbour musi wa 4 May. 