▁helped ▁to ▁rep ulse ▁a ▁Japanese ▁air ▁ra id ▁on ▁U . S . ▁Army ▁Air ▁Force ▁install ations ▁ash ore ▁on ▁Sa ip an . ▁Two ▁days ▁later , ▁she ▁res cu ed ▁three ▁surv iv ors ▁from ▁a ▁B - 2 9 ▁bom ber ▁that ▁crash ed ▁near ▁N af ut an ▁Point . ▁After ▁the ▁excitement ▁of ▁late ▁December , ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁was ▁une vent ful ▁except ▁for ▁two ▁round - tri p ▁voy ages ▁to ▁En iw et ok ▁and ▁back . ▁▁ ▁On ▁ 5 ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁she ▁received ▁orders ▁transfer ring ▁her ▁to ▁the ▁Marsh alls - G il berts ▁Esc ort ▁Force . ▁She ▁arrived ▁at ▁En iw et ok ▁on ▁ 1 0 ▁February ▁and ▁began ▁duty ▁esc ort ing ▁con vo ys ▁from ▁bases ▁in ▁the ▁Marsh alls ▁and ▁Gil berts ▁to ▁forward ▁areas . ▁She ▁made ▁frequent ▁voy ages ▁between ▁Gu am , ▁K w aj ale in , ▁and ▁En iw et ok ▁and ▁cru ised ▁with ▁a ▁h unter - k iller ▁group ▁in ▁search ▁of ▁Japanese ▁sub mar ines ▁reported ly ▁operating ▁in ▁the ▁Marsh alls . ▁On ▁the ▁night ▁of ▁ 2 ▁April , ▁W int le ▁ex changed ▁gun fire ▁with ▁Japanese ▁shore ▁batter ies ▁on ▁by pass ed ▁W ot je ▁At oll ▁after ▁they ▁opened ▁fire ▁on ▁her ▁while ▁she ▁h unted ▁for ▁a ▁m idget ▁sub marine . ▁During ▁American ▁air ▁strik es ▁on ▁enemy -