Dunlap arrived at Noumea, New Caledonia, 5 December 1942 and operated from that base on training and patrol duty, and as escort for convoys to the Fiji, Tonga, and New Hebrides Islands until arriving at Guadalcanal 30 July 1943 for duty in the Solomon Islands.
Dunlap took part in the bombardment of Marcus Island on 9 October.