"Astoria" rejoined TF 17 on 14 March and patrolled the Coral Sea for the rest of March. At sea continuously since 16 February, "Astoria" began to run low on provisions, so Rear Admiral Fletcher detached her to replenish from at Nouméa along with , "Hughes" and "Walke". Arriving on 1 April, the cruiser remained there only briefly, returning to sea the following day. The warship marched and counter-marched across the Coral Sea for two weeks before TF 17 headed for Tongatapu, where she and the "Yorktown" force spent the week of 20–27 April.