On S-day, 9 January 1945, "Almaack" went to general quarters twice during the 0400-0800 watch before executing her deployment for the approach disposition and hoisting her boats to the rail. Lowering her landing craft within a half-hour, "Almaack" anchored in transport area "C", Lingayen Gulf, and at 0745 sighted three Japanese planes in the vicinity, one of which crashed the nearby light cruiser . Before the day was over, "Almaack's" men would see two more victims of the relentless Japanese aerial attacks, the battleship and the Australian heavy cruiser HMAS "Australia" (D84), both crashed by Japanese suiciders.