duty and training exercises in the New Hebrides, she sailed 3 April for escort operations in the Solomon Islands. Off Lunga Point on the night of 6 April, she engaged enemy bombers, and the next day, escorting six ships eastward through Sealark Channel, was under attack by 14 torpedo bombers, at least one of which she shot down. One of her men was wounded by a near miss. Once more she replenished at Espiritu Santo, and then joined in training operations, resuming escort missions to and from the Solomons 30 April. On 13 May she drove off a bomber attack which wounded one of her men, and on 30 June engaged shore batteries on the coast of New Georgia at Munda to protect transports landing troops on the island of Rendova across the channel. As the assault shipping retired from Rendova late that day, guarded by Farenholt and six other destroyers, a flight of Japanese torpedo planes attacked. Farenholt joined in the general barrage which splashed many of the attackers, maneuvered to avoid two torpedoes, and was struck by a third which failed to explode. When was sunk, Farenholt took aboard the task force commander, Rear Admiral Richmond K. Turner. As the New Georgia operation continued, with new landings at various points on the large island, Farenholt escorted support shipping north from the lower Solomons and fired shore bombardment until 16 July 1943. After a brief period alongside a tender at Espiritu Santo, she operated out of that port and Efate on escort and patrol duty between Nouméa and Guadalcanal, sweeping against Japanese shipping, and bringing troops and supplies to Vella Lavella. In October, she sailed for a 6-day visit at Sydney, Australia, returning to Purvis Bay 29 October, and 2 days later joining the screen of the carrier striking force operating northeast of Bougainville in the initial landings. Along with their direct support of the assault and the ensuing battle, the carriers launched air strikes on Buka and Rabaul. From November through February 1944, Farenholt continued her operations in support of the Bougainville and New Britain operations, escorting reinforcements and supplies to Empress Augusta Bay, searching for enemy shipping, and bombarding Choisoul, many points on Bougainville, and the Shortland Islands. She covered landings on Green Island 14 February, fighting off a dive bomber attack in which she downed at least one plane. On the night of 17/18 February, her