"Stembel" arrived at Pearl Harbor on 11 August for tender availability and amphibious training exercises. She sortied with Task Group 33.7 (TG 33.7) (Tractor Group "Able") for Manus via Eniwetok. The task group arrived at Seeadler Harbor on 4 October to make final preparations for the invasion of the Philippine Islands. It sortied on 11 October and entered Leyte Gulf on 19 October. The next morning, "Stembel" was 4,000 yards off the beaches at Dulag, Leyte, protecting the landing ships and smaller craft against aircraft and submarines. She sailed on 25 October for New Guinea, screening empty transports, and returned to Leyte with a resupply convoy on 18 November. "Stembel" next proceeded to Manus, joined the escort carrier group of TF 77, and sailed for the Palau Islands. On 10 December, she sortied with TG 77.12 for the western Philippines, entering the Sulu Sea on 13 December. "Stembel" provided antiaircraft and fire support for the assault on Mindoro until sailing for Leyte Gulf on 26 December 1944.