She arrived at San Pedro Bay, Leyte, on 16 January, went into drydock for hull repairs on 19 January, and departed on 27 January with a convoy bound for Hollandia. "Stafford" and the tug were detached from the convoy on 30 January, and the two ships put into Seeadler Harbor, Manus, five days later. After five days of additional repairs, she headed northeast for the United States. The destroyer escort stopped at Majuro from 13 to 15 February and at Pearl Harbor from 21 to 25 February on her way to the Mare Island Navy Yard. She underwent two months of repairs, from 4 March to 6 May, before rendezvousing with off the entrance to San Francisco Bay to head west once again. She arrived in Pearl Harbor on 14 May and spent the next 10 days in the local operating area. On 24 May, she joined TU 16.8.12 and escorted that formation to the Marshalls. She reached Eniwetok on 1 June and sailed with TU 96.6.9 the following day. The task unit made Ulithi Atoll on 6 June. A week later, she shaped course for Okinawa.