After stops at Eniwetok and Tinian, "Specter" arrived at Iwo Jima on 16 February, three days before the landing, and began minesweeping operations. She was busy clearing minefields, patrolling, and performing escort duty until 28 February when she sailed for Saipan. After a stop at Ulithi from 6 to 19 March "Specter" steamed to Okinawa. On arrival there on 25 March, she commenced pre-invasion minesweeping operations of sea-lanes and channels. The ship remained in the Okinawa area until 6 August. During this period, she conducted antisubmarine patrols, swept mines off Okinawa and Iheya Shima, and made two open-sea sweeps in the East China Sea. While on patrol off Ie Shima on 25 May, she shot down a Japanese fighter plane.