Changes

Shifting to Alameda, and thence to San Francisco, Barnes came back to Alameda again before sailing for Hawaii on 12 October. Reaching Oahu six days later, the warship operated in nearby waters through the first week of November, alternating periods spent training at sea with upkeep in port. Finally, Barnes embarked Fighting Squadron (VF) 1's Grumman F6F-3 "Hellcats" and set sail on 10 November with Task Force (TF) 53 bound for the invasion of the Gilbert Islands. On the 19th, she became part of Task Group (TG) 53.6 which also comprised Nassau (CVE-16), Sangamon (CVE-26), Suwanee (CVE-27) and Santee (CVE-29). Her task group's specific target during the invasion was Tarawa.

Shifting to Alameda, and thence to San Francisco, Barnes came back to Alameda again before sailing for Hawaii on 12 October. Reaching Oahu six days later, the warship operated in nearby waters through the first week of November, alternating periods spent training at sea with upkeep in port. Finally, Barnes embarked Fighting Squadron (VF) 1's Grumman F6F-3 "Hellcats" and set sail on 10 November with Task Force (TF) 53 bound for the invasion of the Gilbert Islands. On the 19th, she became part of Task Group (TG) 53.6 which also comprised Nassau (CVE-16), Sangamon (CVE-26), Suwanee (CVE-27) and Santee (CVE-29). Her task group's specific target during the invasion was Tarawa.

At 0751 on 20 November, Barnes turned into the wind and began catapulting off the first of 16 F6F-3s of VF-1. Splitting into four groups of four, Barnes' planes strafed Japanese targets behind the three Red Beaches on Betio Island in the face of light antiaircraft fire. She recovered the last of her planes at 1046, about three hours after she had launched them, and stood off Tarawa for the rest of the day while the marines ashore dug in for the night on their precarious beachhead. The following morning, Barnes put aloft a combat air patrol (CAP) flight {{user:KJVonly}} of eight F6F-3s between 0630 and 0642. She then sent a second group of aircraft to conduct air patrol over Tarawa and a third to provide CAP for the transports off Betio. The last group also strafed of Japanese positions on Betio in support of the marines trying to wrest the atoll from determined defenders.

At 0751 on 20 November, Barnes turned into the wind and began catapulting off the first of 16 F6F-3s of VF-1. Splitting into four groups of four, Barnes' planes strafed Japanese targets behind the three Red Beaches on Betio Island in the face of light antiaircraft fire. She recovered the last of her planes at 1046, about three hours after she had launched them, and stood off Tarawa for the rest of the day while the marines ashore dug in for the night on their precarious beachhead. The following morning, Barnes put aloft a combat air patrol (CAP) flight of eight F6F-3s between 0630 and 0642. She then sent a second group of aircraft to conduct air patrol over Tarawa and a third to provide CAP for the transports off Betio. The last group also strafed of Japanese positions on Betio in support of the marines trying to wrest the atoll from determined defenders.

Barnes' fighters returned to the skies over Betio on the 22d and resumed CAP and close air support while the marines slowly wrested ground from the enemy. Her "Hellcats" made two runs on their targets, commencing their passes at 5,000 feet and pulling out at 100; enemy antiaircraft fire still rose to meet the attackers, but much reduced in volume. Early on the 23d, Cowell (DD-547) came alongside Barnes and completed the transfer of aircraft repair parts from Nassau between 0930 and 0935. Barnes then took up station astern of the destroyer and prowled the waters off Tarawa for the rest of the day.

Barnes' fighters returned to the skies over Betio on the 22d and resumed CAP and close air support while the marines slowly wrested ground from the enemy. Her "Hellcats" made two runs on their targets, commencing their passes at 5,000 feet and pulling out at 100; enemy antiaircraft fire still rose to meet the attackers, but much reduced in volume. Early on the 23d, Cowell (DD-547) came alongside Barnes and completed the transfer of aircraft repair parts from Nassau between 0930 and 0935. Barnes then took up station astern of the destroyer and prowled the waters off Tarawa for the rest of the day.