World War II Pacific Operations
Following shakedown off the California coast, Sage moved west to Pearl Harbor. Arriving on 20 October, she departed again on the 28th; proceeded to Midway Island, whence she provided escort services to the Ellice and Phoenix Islands; then returned to Hawaii. Through December 1943 and into January 1944, she conducted minesweeping exercises and experiments and was altered to carry a small support landing craft. On 22 January, she embarked a hydrographic party; and, on the 23rd, she sortied with Task Force 51, the Marshall Islands assault force.
On the 31st, Sage commenced minesweeping and hydrographic survey operations at Majuro; and, four days later, shifted to Kwajalein. For the next week, she alternated antisubmarine patrols with sonar watch duty at the entrance to the lagoon. On 11 February, she and three other AM's tracked and attacked a possible submarine one mile off Gea, but the depth charges they dropped seemingly inflicted little or no damage. On the 15th, however, she sailed with Task Group 51.11 for Eniwetok; and, the same day, joined the destroyers Phelps (DD-360) and Macdonough (DD-351) in sinking the Japanese submarine RO-40.
Two days later, Sage, with Oracle (AM-103), YMS-262, and YMS-383, was detached from the formation. Proceeding to Wide Pass, they commenced sweeping operations at 0617; and, at 0726, entered the lagoon. An hour and one half later, they sighted personnel on board a beached Japanese ship. After shelling the ship, they resumed sweeping operations and added patrol duties which continued until mid-March.
Reassigned to task force TF 51, Sage departed Eniwetok and returned to Kwajalein, whence her task group moved to occupy the outer islands of the Marshall group: Ailinglapalap, Namu, and others to the southeast; Bikini Atoll, Rongelap, and Utirik to the north.
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