Zealand, where she underwent restricted availability before escorting the oiler to Nouméa. Woodworth then screened transports steaming from Espiritu Santo to Guadalcanal. On 30 June, while escorting amphibious forces to Rendova Island, Solomon Islands, Woodworth came under air attack by 12 low-flying Japanese torpedo bombers. Woodworths maneuvers enabled her to avoid the torpedoes, and she suffered only one personnel casualty and mere superficial damage from three machine gun hits. On 2 July 1943, Woodworth and the destroyer bombarded Japanese positions on Wickham Island, Vonguna, New Georgia, to assist the advance of troops ashore. The next day, Woodworth sailed for Tulagi, touched at Port Purvis on Florida Island and Rendova Harbor, and arrived off Rice Anchorage on 5 July 1943 to participate in the first landing operations there. Later that day, she headed for Port Purvis. On 11 July, Woodworth, along with the destroyers , , and , took part in the second landing operations at Rice Anchorage. While returning to Guadalcanal the following morning, fired on, depth charged, but failed to sink the Japanese submarine . On 13 July, as part of Task Group (TG) 36.1, Woodworth took part in the Battle of Kolombangara, one of a series of naval engagements for control of waters between Vella La Vella and Kolombangara to the south and Choiseul to the north. The Japanese force consisted of one cruiser and five destroyers. Woodworth fired four torpedoes, and a fifth misfired. During the action, she was struck a glancing blow to the stern by , causing some flooding and light damage, but she continued to screen the cruiser which was hit by a torpedo. The destroyer was also hit and exploded. Nothing could be seen of that destroyer but a -high column of smoke. Damage control efforts for Gwin were futile, and she was scuttled. Woodworth suffered no personnel casualties. Woodworth conducted patrol and escort operations between Espiritu Santo and Guadalcanal until 7 October when she joined TF 38. Following training exercises, she departed Espiritu Santo on 29 October with TF 38 organized around the carriers and . They launched air attacks on Buka, Shortland Islands, on 1 and 2 November 1943 and conducted raids on Rabaul on 5 and again on 11 November before becoming detached from TF 38 on 14 November. Woodworth sailed for Guadalcanal on 16 November in the escort of the transport , then took part in patrol operations in