 New Jersey completed fitting out and trained her initial crew in the Western Atlantic and Caribbean Sea . On 7 January 1944 she passed through the Panama Canal war @-@ bound for Funafuti , Ellice Islands . She reported there 22 January for duty with the United States Fifth Fleet , and three days later rendezvoused with Task Group 58 @.@ 2 for the assault on the Marshall Islands . New Jersey screened the aircraft carriers from Japanese attack as planes from Task Group 58 @.@ 2 flew strikes against Kwajalein and Eniwetok 29 January – 2 February , softening up the latter for its invasion and supporting the troops who landed on 31 January . 
