She landed troops at Tulagi on 7 August and during the next several months made escort and supply runs from bases in New Caledonia and the New Hebrides to American positions in the southern Solomons in support of the Guadalcanal campaign.

She departed the South Pacific on 31 January 1943, and after completing a cruise to the west coast for overhaul, she resumed escort and patrol operations between the New Hebrides and the Solomons on 21 June.

Between July and November, she took part in amphibious operations in the central Solomons, landing troops at beachheads on New Georgia and Rendova.

She landed fighting men on Mono Island 27 October, including a construction team which installed a vital search radar in less than a week's time.

McKean turned to avoid the weapon; but at 0350 the torpedo struck the starboard side, exploding the after magazine and depth charge spaces and rupturing fuel oil tanks.

Four US Coast Guard sailors, assigned to serve as coxswains of four landing craft working from the McKean earned Silver Stars during the amphibious assault on Tulagi.