"Hutchins" departed Cairns 22 February and, after night tactical drills, sailed 28 February with Admiral Daniel E. Barbey's amphibious group for the Admiralties. Arriving next day, the ship carried out shore bombardment of Manus, a base which was to become vital in the coming campaigns, and with Rear Admiral Victor Crutchley, RN, in , established a patrol off Manus. During late March and April "Hutchins" and other destroyers made bombardment sweeps of Wewak and Hansa Bay, encouraging the Japanese to believe that the next amphibious assault would be in that area. In reality it was planned for much farther up the coast, at Hollandia.