During and after the Mindoro landings on 15 December, "Manila Bay" sent her planes on ground support and air cover missions. As troops poured ashore, more "kamikazes" attempted to break the air cover and crash into ships of the covering and carrier group. The few that escaped the combat air patrols were either shot down or driven off by accurate antiaircraft fire. "Manila Bay" helped down three of the raiders and her fighters knocked out two more. After recovering her planes on 16 December, she sailed in convoy via Surigao Strait and reached Kossol on 19 December.