 During the ensuing months, "Patuxent" fueled ships and airfields during consolidation operations in the southern Solomons.From 10 July to 20 November, she made runs between Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, and Guadalcanal and Florida Islands, with two cruises to Nouméa, New Caledonia.During these runs she fueled the fleet in Purvis Bay and Tulagi Harbor, Florida Island, and pumped aviation gasoline to Henderson Field and other fighter strips on Guadalcanal.