Carrier raids on the Home Islands and the Ryukus continued after the landing on Okinawa on 1 April. When "North Carolina" returned to the fleet, she was assigned to TG 58.2. Five days later, "North Carolina" shot down three kamikazes. In the furious anti-aircraft barrage, another ship accidentally hit "North Carolina" with a 5-inch shell, killing three and wounding forty-four. On 7 April, the Japanese launched a major air–naval counterattack on the landing centered on the battleship , which was largely defeated by the carriers, though "North Carolina" shot down one Japanese bomber. Another major kamikaze attack struck the fleet on 11 April. She shot down two more on 17 April, and two days later she was sent to support infantry attacks on Okinawa before departing for another overhaul at Pearl Harbor.