Changes

After fitting out at the Boston Navy Yard through 21 May, the destroyer steamed north for five weeks of shakedown training in Casco Bay off Portland, Maine. The destroyer's crew practiced gunnery and antisubmarine warfare (ASW) drills, exercising with S-48 (SS-159) at times and also perfecting these skills while searching for U-boats along the Boston-Halifax convoy routes. On 16 June, she came across floating debris, a grim reminder of the German submarine offensive against American coastal shipping. The wreckage may have come from the tanker SS Cherokee, sunk the day before about fifty miles out of Boston. Bancroft returned to Boston on 30 June for post-shakedown overhaul.

After fitting out at the Boston Navy Yard through 21 May, the destroyer steamed north for five weeks of shakedown training in Casco Bay off Portland, [[Maine]]. The destroyer's crew practiced gunnery and antisubmarine warfare (ASW) drills, exercising with S-48 (SS-159) at times and also perfecting these skills while searching for U-boats along the Boston-Halifax convoy routes. On 16 June, she came across floating debris, a grim reminder of the [[U-boat|German submarine]] offensive against American coastal shipping. The wreckage may have come from the tanker SS Cherokee, sunk the day before about fifty miles out of Boston. Bancroft returned to Boston on 30 June for post-shakedown overhaul.

Departing the Boston Navy Yard on 20 July, the destroyer steamed to Norfolk, Va., arriving there the following day. She practiced ship handling and convoy skills while escorting Merak (AF-21) to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and the British-owned SS St. Marys to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, in late June and July. Returning to Norfolk on 3 August, Bancroft received a few days of repairs and news of her assignment to the Pacific Fleet. Underway on the 10th, in company with McCalla (DD-488), the warship escorted two oilers, Lackawanna (AO-40) and Tappahannock (AO-43), first to Aruba, Netherlands West Indies, and on to the Panama Canal. Leaving the Atlantic submarine war behind, the ships transited the canal on the night of 24 and 25 August and then sailed northwest to San Diego, anchoring in that harbor on 2 September.

Departing the Boston Navy Yard on 20 July, the destroyer steamed to Norfolk, Va., arriving there the following day. She practiced ship handling and convoy skills while escorting Merak (AF-21) to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and the British-owned SS St. Marys to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, in late June and July. Returning to Norfolk on 3 August, Bancroft received a few days of repairs and news of her assignment to the Pacific Fleet. Underway on the 10th, in company with McCalla (DD-488), the warship escorted two oilers, Lackawanna (AO-40) and Tappahannock (AO-43), first to Aruba, Netherlands West Indies, and on to the [[Panama Canal]]. Leaving the Atlantic submarine war behind, the ships transited the canal on the night of 24 and 25 August and then sailed northwest to [[San Diego]], anchoring in that harbor on 2 September.

After little more than a refueling stop on 5 September, Bancroft turned west and continued her voyage the very next day for operations in the central Pacific. American planners intended to take the Gilbert Islands very soon, so preliminary carrier strikes were ordered there, along with diversionary strikes on other islands to confuse the Japanese. As part of TG 59.17, the destroyer helped screen the new Lexington (CV-16), as that carrier's planes raided Japanese airfields at Tarawa Atoll on 18 September and at Wake Island on 5 and 6 October, before returning to Pearl Harbor on the 11th.

After little more than a refueling stop on 5 September, Bancroft turned west and continued her voyage the very next day for operations in the central Pacific. American planners intended to take the Gilbert Islands very soon, so preliminary carrier strikes were ordered there, along with diversionary strikes on other islands to confuse the Japanese. As part of TG 59.17, the destroyer helped screen the new Lexington (CV-16), as that carrier's planes raided Japanese airfields at Tarawa Atoll on 18 September and at [[Wake Island]] on 5 and 6 October, before returning to Pearl Harbor on the 11th.

On 22 March, the destroyer joined Lexington and TG 58.3 for a fast carrier sweep against Japanese bases in the Caroline Islands and New Guinea. These raids were designed to destroy Japanese air power in the region before American amphibious operations along the northern coast of New Guinea. On the 29th, while enroute to the Palau Islands, Bancroft's group was approached by three Japanese bombers. Friendly fighters shot down one plane but, at about 2100, two other Mitsubishi G4M1 bombers ("Bettys") approached the warships. Most of the ships in the group, including Bancroft, opened fire and quickly splashed both aircraft, leaving circles of fuel and wreckage to burn on the water for several minutes.

On 22 March, the destroyer joined Lexington and TG 58.3 for a fast carrier sweep against Japanese bases in the Caroline Islands and [[New Guinea]]. These raids were designed to destroy Japanese air power in the region before American amphibious operations along the northern coast of New Guinea. On the 29th, while enroute to the Palau Islands, Bancroft's group was approached by three Japanese bombers. Friendly fighters shot down one plane but, at about 2100, two other [[Mitsubishi G4M|Mitsubishi G4M1 bombers]] ("Bettys") approached the warships. Most of the ships in the group, including Bancroft, opened fire and quickly splashed both aircraft, leaving circles of fuel and wreckage to burn on the water for several minutes.

After two weeks of boiler repairs, the destroyer began a month of convoy and patrol duty in the Marshall Islands on 16 July. She escorted shipping between Majuro and Eniwetok, patrolled the Jaluit, Wotje, and Taroa blockade lines, and bombarded Japanese coastal defense and heavy antiaircraft positions on Maloelap Atoll on 8 August before anchoring at Eniwetok on the 14th.

After two weeks of boiler repairs, the destroyer began a month of convoy and patrol duty in the Marshall Islands on 16 July. She escorted shipping between Majuro and Eniwetok, patrolled the Jaluit, Wotje, and Taroa blockade lines, and bombarded Japanese coastal defense and heavy antiaircraft positions on Maloelap Atoll on 8 August before anchoring at Eniwetok on the 14th.

Bancroft departed Eniwetok with a homeward bound convoy on 19 August and, after a brief stop at Pearl Harbor, reached San Francisco on 1 September. She entered the Mare Island Navy Yard for an extensive overhaul and to have her 5-inch gun-sleeves replaced. She completed equipment calibrations and shakedown by 23 October and steamed to Hawaii, via Seattle, arriving in Pearl Harbor on 1 November.

Bancroft departed Eniwetok with a homeward bound convoy on 19 August and, after a brief stop at Pearl Harbor, reached [[San Francisco]] on 1 September. She entered the Mare Island Navy Yard for an extensive overhaul and to have her 5-inch gun-sleeves replaced. She completed equipment calibrations and shakedown by 23 October and steamed to Hawaii, via [[Seattle]], arriving in Pearl Harbor on 1 November.