Late in the year, the busy cruiser returned to the United States to devote the first weeks of 1944 to amphibious training off San Pedro, California.
She sortied on 13 January with the task force which would invade the Marshall Islands.
The cruisers moved ahead of the main body on 29 January to neutralize Wotje in advance of the landings.
After a morning of bombardment on 30 January, Santa Fe rejoined the main force off Kwajalein and, on 31 January – 1 February, provided gunfire support as American troops fought for that key island.
She arrived at Majuro on 7 February.

Five days later, she sailed with a fast carrier force which struck the great enemy base at Truk on 16–17 February and hit Saipan on 22 February.
She then proceeded via Majuro to Espiritu Santo.
She got underway again on 15 March, escorting Enterprise and Belleau Wood as those aircraft carriers supported landings on Emirau Island on 20 March and struck Palau, Yap, and Woleai on 30 March – 1 April.
On 13 April, she sortied with a task group built around the aircraft carrier Hornet, to support the landings at Hollandia (currently known as Jayapura), New Guinea.
Air strikes hit the Wakde and Sawar Airfields on 21 April, and the surface ships bombarded the same islands the next day to neutralize them during the Hollandia landings.
Released from their covering duties on 28 April, the carriers raided Truk, Satawan, and Ponape from 29 April to 1 May before returning to Kwajalein on 4 May.
Santa Fe sortied from the Marshalls with a group centered around the aircraft carrier Bunker Hill, and guarded her consorts during intense air strikes on Saipan, Tinian, and Guam from 11–16 June in support of landings on Saipan.
But the Japanese fleet raced into the area to make a major effort to save the Marianas.
On the morning of 19 June, swarms of Japanese carrier aircraft attacked the American 5th Fleet.
Santa Fe's guns contributed to the flak cover which protected the US carriers while American naval aviators destroyed Japan's naval air arm.
Through the night and into the following day, the 5th Fleet pursued the retiring enemy warships, located them at mid-afternoon, and launched planes for a successful attack.
That night, Santa Fe, ignoring possible Japanese submarines, turned on her lights to help guide the American planes back to their carriers.
After strikes on Pagan Island on 24 June, Santa Fe's group entered Eniwetok for replenishment on the 27th.

Three days later, the cruiser rejoined Hornet's group; and, after morning air strikes, carried out a surface bombardment of Iwo Jima on 4 July.
From 6–21 July, the carrier group alternated strikes between Guam and Rota to prevent enemy use of airfields there; and, from the 25–28 July, while striking Yap and Ulithi, the naval aircraft obtained invaluable photographic intelligence.
After six hours at anchor off Saipan on 2 August, the force struck again at Iwo Jima on 4 and 5 August.
On 4 August, the cruisers engaged a small Japanese convoy, sinking several vessels including the escort Matsu; and, on 5 August, they bombarded Iwo Jima.
The carrier group returned to Eniwetok on 11 August.

From 30 August 1944 to 26 January 1945, Santa Fe operated in carrier groups centered about Essex.
Their first mission was a strike on Peleliu in the Palaus from 6–8 September and Mindanao in the Philippines on 9–10 September.
On 9 September, the cruisers engaged a second Japanese convoy, sinking a number of small vessels.
Further air strikes in the Visayan Sea came between 12 and 14 September, and targets in the Philippines received attention from 21–24 September before the task force retired to Kossol Passage in the Palaus on 27 September.

A new series of strikes to neutralize Japanese air power during the invasion of the Philippines started with attacks on Okinawa and Formosa from 10–13 October.
That evening, Friday 13 October, after Canberra and Houston had been damaged by torpedoes, Santa Fe, Birmingham, and Mobile were detached to help tow the damaged cruisers out of danger.
On 16 October, a single engine torpedo plane slipped through in an
Late in the year, the busy cruiser returned to the United States to devote the first weeks of 1944 to amphibious training off San Pedro, California. She sortied on 13 January with the task force which would invade the Marshall Islands. The cruisers moved ahead of the main body on 29 January to neutralize Wotje in advance of the landings. After a morning of bombardment on 30 January, Santa Fe rejoined the main force off Kwajalein and, on 31 January – 1 February, provided gunfire support as American troops fought for that key island. She arrived at Majuro on 7 February.
Five days later, she sailed with a fast carrier force which struck the great enemy base at Truk on 16–17 February and hit Saipan on 22 February. She then proceeded via Majuro to Espiritu Santo. She got underway again on 15 March, escorting Enterprise and Belleau Wood as those aircraft carriers supported landings on Emirau Island on 20 March and struck Palau, Yap, and Woleai on 30 March – 1 April. On 13 April, she sortied with a task group built around the aircraft carrier Hornet, to support the landings at Hollandia (currently known as Jayapura), New Guinea. Air strikes hit the Wakde and Sawar Airfields on 21 April, and the surface ships bombarded the same islands the next day to neutralize them during the Hollandia landings. Released from their covering duties on 28 April, the carriers raided Truk, Satawan, and Ponape from 29 April to 1 May before returning to Kwajalein on 4 May.
Santa Fe sortied from the Marshalls with a group centered around the aircraft carrier Bunker Hill, and guarded her consorts during intense air strikes on Saipan, Tinian, and Guam from 11–16 June in support of landings on Saipan. But the Japanese fleet raced into the area to make a major effort to save the Marianas. On the morning of 19 June, swarms of Japanese carrier aircraft attacked the American 5th Fleet. Santa Fe's guns contributed to the flak cover which protected the US carriers while American naval aviators destroyed Japan's naval air arm. Through the night and into the following day, the 5th Fleet pursued the retiring enemy warships, located them at mid-afternoon, and launched planes for a successful attack. That night, Santa Fe, ignoring possible Japanese submarines, turned on her lights to help guide the American planes back to their carriers. After strikes on Pagan Island on 24 June, Santa Fe's group entered Eniwetok for replenishment on the 27th.
Three days later, the cruiser rejoined Hornet's group; and, after morning air strikes, carried out a surface bombardment of Iwo Jima on 4 July. From 6–21 July, the carrier group alternated strikes between Guam and Rota to prevent enemy use of airfields there; and, from the 25–28 July, while striking Yap and Ulithi, the naval aircraft obtained invaluable photographic intelligence. After six hours at anchor off Saipan on 2 August, the force struck again at Iwo Jima on 4 and 5 August. On 4 August, the cruisers engaged a small Japanese convoy, sinking several vessels including the escort Matsu; and, on 5 August, they bombarded Iwo Jima. The carrier group returned to Eniwetok on 11 August.
From 30 August 1944 to 26 January 1945, Santa Fe operated in carrier groups centered about Essex. Their first mission was a strike on Peleliu in the Palaus from 6–8 September and Mindanao in the Philippines on 9–10 September. On 9 September, the cruisers engaged a second Japanese convoy, sinking a number of small vessels. Further air strikes in the Visayan Sea came between 12 and 14 September, and targets in the Philippines received attention from 21–24 September before the task force retired to Kossol Passage in the Palaus on 27 September.
A new series of strikes to neutralize Japanese air power during the invasion of the Philippines started with attacks on Okinawa and Formosa from 10–13 October. That evening, Friday 13 October, after Canberra and Houston had been damaged by torpedoes, Santa Fe, Birmingham, and Mobile were detached to help tow the damaged cruisers out of danger. On 16 October, a single engine torpedo plane slipped through in an
USS Santa Fe (CL-60)