She bombarded Nauru Island on 8 December, and sailed to Efate, New Hebrides, from which she screened the air strikes on Kavieng, New Ireland, arriving at Funafuti 21 January 1944 to join the Fast Carrier Task Force (then the 5th Fleet's TF 58).

During the Marianas operation, Conner continued screening the carriers for the preliminary air strikes on Saipan, Tinian, and Guam, and the raids in the Bonins from 12 to 16 June 1944.

As the massive air Battle of the Philippine Sea was fought on 19 and 20 June, she continued her screening, and at the close of the action acted as rescue ship for the carrier planes as they returned from their extreme range strikes on the retiring Japanese fleet.

On 2 October, she sailed from Manus[1] to screen the carriers as they neutralized Japanese bases on Okinawa, northern Luzon, and Formosa in the final preparations for the assault on Leyte.

Conner remained in the Philippines, patrolling the Camotes Sea and Ormoc Bay against Japanese shipping and covering the landings at Mindoro until she put into Manus Island for replenishment 23 December.

In the 1959 comedy movie, Operation Petticoat, Conner played the role of the American destroyer which attacks the USS Sea Tiger, following instructions to sink any "unidentified submarine, pink or otherwise."