There and in the New Hebrides, she conducted simulated attacks and landing boat exercises with marines in preparation for the assault on Tarawa, for which she sailed on 13 November with Task Force 53.

La Salle left the west coast on 13 January 1944 and arrived off Kwajalein eight days later to land men of the 4th Marine Division.

From Pearl Harbor she sailed on 11 May with troops for the invasion of the Marianas, arriving on D-Day, 15 June to witness the pre-invasion bombardment before landing her marines.

She departed the same day and put into San Pedro Bay on 1 February to prepare for the invasion of Okinawa, off which she arrived from Ulithi on 11 April.

Between September 1945 and June 1946, La Salle made four "Magic Carpet" voyages, and one passage in January to deliver occupation troops to Yokosuka.