 Kwemwedzi mitanhatu nehafu yakatevera Rigel yakaramba iri paMilne Bay, ichigadzira ngarava kubva kuLSTs, LCIs, uye MTBs kuenda kumatangi, cruisers, uye ngarava dzehondo. Pakazosvika December, mauto eMubatanidzwa akanga afamba achikwira mhenderekedzo yegungwa kuti arwisane nokutonga Vitiaz neDampier Straits. Muna December, kumhara kwakaitwa paNew Britain paArawe neCape Gloucester, uye muna January 1944, paFinschhafen neSaidor muNew Guinea. Rigel, yakanga isisiri ngarava huru yaAdmiral Barbey, yakakurumidza kutevera. 