Wasp slipped out to sea on 28 July, with the destroyers O'Brien and Walke as plane guards.

Within a few days, Wasp's group joined the larger Task Force 16—consisting of the battleship Mississippi, the heavy cruisers Quincy and Wichita, five destroyers, the auxiliary Semmes, the attack transport American Legion, the stores ship Mizar, and the amphibious cargo ship Almaack.

On the morning of 6 August, Wasp, Vincennes, Walke, and O'Brien parted company from Task Force 16 (TF 16).

As the P-40s and the trio of trainers droned on to Iceland, Wasp headed home for Norfolk, her three escorts in company.

In 1944 and 1945, the task force was a refueling unit consisting of destroyer escorts and oilers.