"Stringham" returned to the United States for , repairs, and alterations. She did not return to the western Pacific until 17 March 1945. She joined the southern defense group at Saipan and sortied with it for Okinawa on 26 March. The high-speed transport arrived off Okinawa on 2 April, the day following the initial assault, and screened the transport area until 7 April, when she headed for Guam. During that time, "Stringham" took two "kamikazes" under fire, one on 3 April and one on 6 April. The former succeeded in crashing while the latter gave up his plunge in the face of "Stringham"s heavy antiaircraft fire, dove on a destroyer, but missed both American ships.