 Ramba uchinyora ndima iyi - Pashure pemiedzo yomuvaki wayo yakakurumidza uye rwendo rwokuchenesa, Essex yakaendeswa kuPacific muna May 1943. Achibva kuPearl Harbor, akabatanidzwa neTask Force 16 TF 16 mumabasa anotakura ndege pamusoro peMarcus Island. Musi wa31 Nyamavhuvhu 1943, akasarudzwa kuti ave mureza weTF14 uye akarova Wake Island musi wa5 na6 Gumiguru. On 11November, iye akatora mugove anotakura akavhiyiwa panguva Rabaul akarova, pamwe uye. Akabva atanga kurwisa neTask Group 50.3 TG50.3 kuzvitsuwa zveGilbert uko kwaakatora chikamu pakurwiswa kwake kwekutanga panguva yeHondo yeTarawa. Mushure mokupedza mafuta mugungwa, akafamba semudziyo mukuru weTG50.3 kuti arwise Kwajalein musi wa4 December. Kurwiswa kwake kwechipiri kweamphibious kwakaitwa mukambani neTG50.3 kwakanga kuri pamusoro peMarshall Islandsmusi wa29January kusvika 2February 1944. 