On 10 April, she joined the task force built around the aircraft carriers USS Hornet and USS Enterprise which steamed to within 700 miles (1,100 km) of the coast of Japan and launched bomber aircraft of the United States Army Air Forces commanded by Lt. Col. James Doolittle.

August found her in southern waters again where, in company with the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga, she played an important role in the Battle of the Eastern Solomons.

By October, she was busy providing fuel for warships engaging Japanese forces in the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands.

When the assault on the Gilbert Islands commenced on 19 November 1943, Sabine was busy refueling the carriers, battleships, cruisers, and destroyers that were supporting the landing forces.

Other oilers shuttled between the station areas and Pearl Harbor, which was replenished by a vast fleet of Merchant Marine tankers.

She was detached on 22 April; but, after a voyage to Pearl Harbor, arrived at Majuro Atoll on 18 May ready to rejoin TF 58 for the coming Marianas Islands campaign.

The force sortied on 6 June, and Sabine supported the landings on Saipan and Guam and subsequent operations in the Marianas until returning to Pearl Harbor on 14 August.

For a third time in her long career, Sabine was decommissioned on 20 February 1969; and she joined the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

On 22 January 1970, Sabine was transferred to the custody of the Maritime Administration and berthed with the James River, Virginia, Group of the National Defense Reserve Fleet, where she remained into 1976.