▁rep airs . ▁She ▁completed ▁rep airs ▁rapidly ▁and ▁returned ▁to ▁sea ▁to ▁res ume ▁exer cis es ▁on ▁ 1 1 ▁January . ▁ ▁Support ing ▁the ▁invasion ▁of ▁the ▁Marshall ▁Islands ▁ ▁Ten ▁days ▁later , ▁W int le ▁received ▁orders ▁assigning ▁her ▁to ▁the ▁ 5 th ▁Am ph ib ious ▁Force ▁for ▁" Operation ▁Fl int lock ", ▁the ▁invasion ▁of ▁the ▁Marshall ▁Islands . ▁She ▁depart ed ▁Pear l ▁Har bor ▁that ▁same ▁day ▁esc ort ing ▁four ▁tank ▁landing ▁ships ▁to ▁Maj uro . ▁W int le ▁and ▁her ▁charges ▁reached ▁that ▁at oll ▁on ▁ 1 ▁February ▁to ▁find ▁that ▁the ▁American ▁force ▁had ▁taken ▁it ▁without ▁opposition ▁the ▁previous ▁day . ▁The ▁destroy er ▁esc ort ▁led ▁the ▁pat rol ▁of ▁the ▁entrance ▁of ▁the ▁l ago on ▁on ▁the ▁ 2 nd , ▁then ▁met ▁ ▁at ▁sea , ▁and ▁esc orted ▁her ▁into ▁the ▁l ago on ▁on ▁the ▁ 3 rd . ▁She ▁then ▁res umed ▁anti - sub marine ▁war fare ▁( AS W ) ▁pat rol ▁off ▁Maj uro ▁and ▁continued ▁the ▁task ▁for ▁the ▁next ▁six ▁days . ▁On ▁the ▁ 9 th ▁and ▁ 1 0 th , ▁she ▁esc orted ▁ ▁to ▁K w aj ale in , ▁then ▁head ed ▁back ▁to ▁Pear l ▁Har bor , ▁where ▁she ▁arrived ▁on ▁the ▁ 2 3 rd . ▁W int le ▁remained ▁in ▁the ▁Hawai ian ▁Islands ▁until ▁ 2 ▁March , ▁when ▁she ▁got ▁under way