1943: More men arrive daily as the construction of the ship nears completion. The men are barracked in the Fargo Building in South Boston and work as able hands on the ship as her commissioning day approaches.
1944: After two weeks anchored in Majuro, the ships of Task Force 58 begin to leave the lagoon at first light on June 6, for the beginning of Operation Forager – the invasion of strategic islands in the Marianas — and the retaking of Guam from the enemy. The Japanese had strategic airfields on Tinian and Saipan, and had captured the fine airstrip at Orote Field when they invaded Guam on Dec. 8, 1941.
The Boston formed up with Jocko Clark’s Task Group 58.1. The group consisted of four aircraft carriers of Carrier Division 5 and the cruisers of Cruiser Division 10 (Boston was the flagship). The four carriers and six cruisers were flanked and screened by fourteen destroyers (DesRon6 and DesRon46). This impressive flotilla began steaming west towards the Marianas, accompanying three other task groups similarly equipped.
1945: The Boston raises anchor on June 1st and departs California. She steams to Hawaii to Pearl Harbor, which she enters on June 7, and remains there until July 2nd, preparing to re-enter the fray in the lead-up to the planned Invasion of Japan.