▁with ▁ ▁to ▁esc ort ▁a ▁three - ship ▁con voy ▁to ▁the ▁Gil berts . ▁They ▁saw ▁their ▁charges ▁safely ▁to ▁the ▁Gil berts ▁on ▁ 1 1 ▁March ▁and ▁got ▁under way ▁the ▁following ▁day ▁for ▁the ▁Sol om ons . ▁Pro ceed ing ▁via ▁Fun af uti , ▁the ▁two ▁destroy er ▁esc ort s ▁arrived ▁off ▁L ung a ▁Point , ▁Gu adal can al , ▁on ▁ 1 8 ▁March ▁and ▁reported ▁for ▁duty ▁with ▁the ▁ 3 rd ▁Fle et . ▁For ▁the ▁next ▁six ▁months , ▁W int le ▁cr iss cross ed ▁the ▁South west ▁Pacific ▁esc ort ing ▁tank ers , ▁trans ports , ▁and ▁cargo - men ▁to ▁and ▁from ▁various ▁American ▁bases , ▁most ▁frequently ▁between ▁the ▁Sol om ons ▁and ▁the ▁Admir alty ▁Islands . ▁When ▁not ▁engaged ▁in ▁esc ort ▁miss ions , ▁she ▁hon ed ▁her ▁AS W ▁skills ▁during ▁exer cis es ▁with ▁American ▁sub mar ines . ▁▁ ▁On ▁ 1 9 ▁September , ▁she ▁arrived ▁at ▁Man us ▁Island ▁con cluding ▁her ▁last ▁Sol om ons - Ad mir alt ies ▁run . ▁On ▁the ▁ 2 2 d , ▁she ▁head ed ▁out ▁of ▁Se ead ler ▁Har bor ▁for ▁a ▁new ▁the ater , ▁the ▁Pal au ▁Islands ▁in ▁the ▁Central ▁Pacific . ▁The ▁war ship ▁arrived ▁in ▁the ▁anch orage ▁at ▁K oss ol ▁Pass age ▁three ▁days ▁later . ▁Her ▁stay ▁proved ▁brief ▁because ▁she ▁set ▁course ▁back ▁to ▁Man us ▁that