During January 1944, she gave direct support to the force which occupied Finschhafen, New Guinea, and helped to establish a new advance base at Langemak Bay, New Guinea. At times, she also tended the planes of Patrol Squadron 34 (VP-34), then flying rescue missions for the United States Army Air Forces Fifth Air Force from Port Moresby, New Guinea. She once temporarily based two OS2U Kingfisher floatplanes from light cruiser . From Langemak Bay, "San Pablo"s planes helped to prevent the Japanese from supplying their garrisons on Rabaul and Kavieng.