From Panama, the division (now SubDiv 53) was ordered to the southwest Pacific. Starting across the Pacific in early March, the boats reached Brisbane in mid-April, and within ten days, "S-44" was on her first war patrol. She cleared Moreton Bay on 24 April. Three days later, her port engine went out of commission, but 36 hours of hard work and ingenuity put it back in operation. On 29 April, she began running submerged during the day and surfacing at night to recharge batteries and allow fresh air into the non-air-conditioned boat. By 2 May, she was in her patrol area, New Britain-New Ireland waters. Six days later, she sighted a ship through a haze of rain and launched two torpedoes which missed. She attempted to close the range. However the surface ship easily outdistanced her. The next afternoon, she attempted to close on a Japanese destroyer, east of Adler Bay, but again was easily outrun. On 10 May, off Cape St. George, she closed on another target but was sighted and attacked.