before, had landed on the beaches of Bougainville at Empress Augusta Bay. She arrived on 6 November, disembarked her soldiers, loaded 19 casualties and screened a group of landing ship tanks (LSTs) to Guadalcanal. On 11 November, she was back at the beachhead with a resupply echelon. Four days later, she got underway for Guadalcanal. The high-speed transport loaded troops, ammunition, and rations; held a practice landing; and headed for Bougainville. On 16 November, the destroyer transport and her five sister ships rendezvoused with a group of LSTs and destroyers. At 0300, a Japanese snooper aircraft dropped a flare astern of the convoy. It was followed by enemy bombers which attacked for almost an hour before hitting and setting her afire. Although under constant air attack, Talbots boats rescued 68 crew members and 106 marine passengers from the stricken ship. Talbot continued to Cape Torokina and arrived there in the midst of another air attack. She landed her troops and headed for Guadalcanal. After her engines were overhauled at Nouméa in December, the ship made a round-trip to Sydney. On 8 January 1944, she departed New Caledonia for Espiritu Santo to pick up a convoy and escort it to Guadalcanal. She arrived off Lunga Point on 13 January and patrolled between there and Koli Point for two weeks. On 28 January, the fast transport embarked elements of the 30th New Zealand Battalion and a group of intelligence and communications specialists of the United States Navy and headed for the Green Islands to participate in a reconnaissance in force. On the night of 30 January, the destroyer transports landed the raiding party; withdrew from the area; and returned the next night to pick them up. Talbot disembarked the New Zealanders at Vella Lavella and the Navy men at Guadalcanal. On 13 February, Talbot reembarked New Zealand troops and sortied with TF 31, the Green Islands Attack Group. She was off Bara-hun Island on 15 February and launched her part of the assault wave. She then shuttled reinforcements and supplies from Guadalcanal to the Green Islands. On 17 March, the transport loaded elements of the 2d Battalion, 4th Marines, at Guadalcanal and sailed with the amphibious force to the St. Matthias Islands. The Marines peacefully occupied Emirau on 20 March, and Talbot returned to Purvis Bay. She headed to New Guinea on 4 April to participate in practice landings with the 168nd