Upon being commissioned, Rudyerd Bay underwent a shakedown cruise down the West Coast to Southern California, where she took on a load of aircraft, which she ferried to Espiritu Santo of the New Hebrides throughout April and May. Upon returning to the West Coast, the carrier conducted qualification exercises off the California coast until July, before making another transport run to Majuro, in the Marshall Islands from 20 July to 26 July, escorted by the destroyer escort O'Flaherty.
After finishing her mission, she embarked Composite Squadron 77 (VC-77), departing on 8 August for the West Pacific.
At Enewetak Atoll in the Marshall Islands, she joined Task Group 30.8, the Fleet Oiler and Transport Carrier Group, which at the time, consisted of seven escort carriers (including Rudyerd Bay), seven destroyers, fifteen destroyer escorts, and twenty-four replenishment oilers, organized into eight task units.
She then proceeded with the task group to Manus Island, in the Admiralty Islands, arriving on 31 August.

Throughout early September, Rudyerd Bay served as a replenishment carrier, providing replacement aircraft (from VC-77), parts, and supplies for the frontline Fast Carrier Task Force of the Third Fleet, which at the time was supporting the Mariana and Palau Islands campaign.
Later, during October, she continued supporting the fast carriers as they operated in support of the Philippines campaign.
Rudyerd Bay was still a part of Task Group 30.8, now renamed the At Sea Logistics Group.
The fleet oilers had been detached, and the number of escort carriers involved had increased to eleven.
On 18 October, the carrier took on the wounded of the light cruiser Houston, which had been subjected to two separate aerial torpedo hits.
She transported them to Ulithi in the Caroline Islands, and by November, the carrier was back to replenishment duties, which would eventually take her into Typhoon Cobra.

On 17 December 1944, Rudyerd Bay was a part of Task Unit 30.8.12, alongside her sister Nehenta Bay, which was acting as the flagship.
The two escort carriers were screened by the destroyer escorts Wesson and Swearer.
By then, the Third Fleet had been operating against positions on Luzon since 14 December, but its escorting destroyers ran low on fuel.
As a result, the fleet retired to the east to refuel, and to receive replacement aircraft from Task Group 30.8.
Rudyerd Bay rendezvoused with the Third Fleet about 300 mi (480 km) east of Luzon early on 17 December.
The location had been chosen because it lay out of range of Japanese fighters, but it also happened to lie within Typhoon Alley, where many Pacific tropical cyclones transited.
As the escort carriers and the Third Fleet met, Typhoon Cobra began to bear down.
At 01:00, fueling operations were attempted with the destroyers, although heavy winds and listing seas complicated the matter.
At the same time, barometers on-board the ships began to drop, and tropical storm force winds were recorded.

As the weather continued to deteriorate, Admiral William Halsey Jr. ordered fueling operations suspended at 13:10.
He ordered his fleet to move to the next morning's planned rendezvous spot, approximately 160 mi (260 km) northwest, and comfortably safe from the typhoon's impacts.
Two hours later, he instead ordered his fleet to proceed due southwards, 180 mi (290 km) from where the fleet was located.
This brought the fleet directly into the typhoon's core.
To make matters worse for the Third Fleet, Halsey ordered the fleet to proceed northwards at 22:20, putting the fleet in the quadrant of the typhoon with the highest winds.
Blurry data and observations meant that command had little idea of where the typhoon actually was, with some weather maps pinning the typhoon's center some 100 mi (160 km) away, even whilst the fleet sailed directly into the eye.
Attached to the Third Fleet, Rudyerd Bay followed.

At 07:00, on the morning of 18 December, the fleet was inescapably trapped in the typhoon's path.
Conflicting orders meant that some of the destroyers attempted to do some fueling during the morn
Upon being commissioned, Rudyerd Bay underwent a shakedown cruise down the West Coast to Southern California, where she took on a load of aircraft, which she ferried to Espiritu Santo of the New Hebrides throughout April and May. Upon returning to the West Coast, the carrier conducted qualification exercises off the California coast until July, before making another transport run to Majuro, in the Marshall Islands from 20 July to 26 July, escorted by the destroyer escort O'Flaherty. After finishing her mission, she embarked Composite Squadron 77 (VC-77), departing on 8 August for the West Pacific. At Enewetak Atoll in the Marshall Islands, she joined Task Group 30.8, the Fleet Oiler and Transport Carrier Group, which at the time, consisted of seven escort carriers (including Rudyerd Bay), seven destroyers, fifteen destroyer escorts, and twenty-four replenishment oilers, organized into eight task units. She then proceeded with the task group to Manus Island, in the Admiralty Islands, arriving on 31 August.
Throughout early September, Rudyerd Bay served as a replenishment carrier, providing replacement aircraft (from VC-77), parts, and supplies for the frontline Fast Carrier Task Force of the Third Fleet, which at the time was supporting the Mariana and Palau Islands campaign. Later, during October, she continued supporting the fast carriers as they operated in support of the Philippines campaign. Rudyerd Bay was still a part of Task Group 30.8, now renamed the At Sea Logistics Group. The fleet oilers had been detached, and the number of escort carriers involved had increased to eleven. On 18 October, the carrier took on the wounded of the light cruiser Houston, which had been subjected to two separate aerial torpedo hits. She transported them to Ulithi in the Caroline Islands, and by November, the carrier was back to replenishment duties, which would eventually take her into Typhoon Cobra.
On 17 December 1944, Rudyerd Bay was a part of Task Unit 30.8.12, alongside her sister Nehenta Bay, which was acting as the flagship. The two escort carriers were screened by the destroyer escorts Wesson and Swearer. By then, the Third Fleet had been operating against positions on Luzon since 14 December, but its escorting destroyers ran low on fuel. As a result, the fleet retired to the east to refuel, and to receive replacement aircraft from Task Group 30.8. Rudyerd Bay rendezvoused with the Third Fleet about 300 mi (480 km) east of Luzon early on 17 December. The location had been chosen because it lay out of range of Japanese fighters, but it also happened to lie within Typhoon Alley, where many Pacific tropical cyclones transited. As the escort carriers and the Third Fleet met, Typhoon Cobra began to bear down. At 01:00, fueling operations were attempted with the destroyers, although heavy winds and listing seas complicated the matter. At the same time, barometers on-board the ships began to drop, and tropical storm force winds were recorded.
As the weather continued to deteriorate, Admiral William Halsey Jr. ordered fueling operations suspended at 13:10. He ordered his fleet to move to the next morning's planned rendezvous spot, approximately 160 mi (260 km) northwest, and comfortably safe from the typhoon's impacts. Two hours later, he instead ordered his fleet to proceed due southwards, 180 mi (290 km) from where the fleet was located. This brought the fleet directly into the typhoon's core. To make matters worse for the Third Fleet, Halsey ordered the fleet to proceed northwards at 22:20, putting the fleet in the quadrant of the typhoon with the highest winds. Blurry data and observations meant that command had little idea of where the typhoon actually was, with some weather maps pinning the typhoon's center some 100 mi (160 km) away, even whilst the fleet sailed directly into the eye. Attached to the Third Fleet, Rudyerd Bay followed.
At 07:00, on the morning of 18 December, the fleet was inescapably trapped in the typhoon's path. Conflicting orders meant that some of the destroyers attempted to do some fueling during the morn
USS Rudyerd Bay