▁ 8 ▁November , ▁she ▁arrived ▁in ▁the ▁transport ▁area ▁off ▁Fed h ala , ▁French ▁Mor oc co . ▁Since ▁her ▁troops ▁were ▁assigned ▁to ▁the ▁reserve ▁force , ▁she ▁did ▁not ▁begin ▁dis emb ark ing ▁them ▁until ▁late ▁that ▁evening . ▁On ▁the ▁ 1 3 th , ▁Th ur ston ▁entered ▁Cas ab lan ca ▁har bor ▁to ▁finish ▁un loading ▁supplies ▁and ▁equipment . ▁She ▁began ▁her ▁return ▁voyage ▁on ▁the ▁ 1 5 th ▁and ▁arrived ▁at ▁Ham pton ▁Ro ads ▁ 1 1 ▁days ▁later . ▁Two ▁round - tri p ▁voy ages ▁across ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁carrying ▁rein for c ements ▁to ▁North ▁Africa ▁were ▁next ▁on ▁her ▁ag enda . ▁She ▁then ▁spent ▁March ▁and ▁April ▁under going ▁rep airs ▁and ▁alter ations . ▁ ▁Operation ▁Hus ky ▁On ▁ 1 0 ▁May , ▁the ▁ship ▁sa iled ▁with ▁con voy ▁U G F - 8 A ▁for ▁O ran ▁with ▁troops ▁to ▁be ▁used ▁in ▁the ▁Operation ▁Hus ky , ▁the ▁invasion ▁of ▁Sic ily . ▁In ▁early ▁June , ▁Th ur ston ▁emb ark ed ▁units ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 6 th ▁Infantry ▁Regiment ▁and ▁head ed ▁to ▁Al gi ers ▁for ▁landing ▁re he ars als . ▁On ▁ 6 ▁July , ▁she ▁sort ied ▁with ▁Task ▁force ▁( TF ) ▁ 8 1 ▁and , ▁on ▁the ▁ 9 th , ▁arrived ▁in ▁the ▁assault ▁area ▁off ▁G ela . ▁The ▁ship ▁land ed ▁the ▁troops ▁early ▁the ▁next ▁morning ,