æt ðə stˈɑːɹt ʌv nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi fˈoːɹ, wækˈɑːbə wʌz ɹˌiːɐsˈaɪnd dᵻɹˈɛktli tə kəmbˈaɪnd flˈiːt hɛdkwˈɔːɹɾɚz, ænd kəntˈɪnjuːd ɪn ˈɛskɔːɹt mˈɪʃənz bᵻtwˌiːn jˈɑːkəsˌuːkə ænd tɹˈʌk.
At the start of 1944, Wakaba was reassigned directly to Combined Fleet headquarters, and continued in escort missions between Yokosuka and Truk.