"Stembel" stood out of San Pedro Bay on 4 January 1945 in the Lingayen Attack Force. The next day, she was ordered to join the escort carrier group. On the 8th, the group was attacked by Japanese kamikaze planes and "Kitkun Bay" (CVE-71) was holed at the waterline. The destroyer went alongside and removed over 360 men from the disabled carrier. The men were returned to "Kitkun Bay" the next day as she was proceeding under her own steam, and "Stembel" began patrolling the entrance to Lingayen Gulf. On 11 January she and four other destroyers were ordered to destroy enemy shipping in San Fernando Harbor. After sinking a 50-foot tugger, an inter-island oiler, and damaging a cargo ship, she withdrew to bombard the town of Rosario the next day.