While anchored off Ngulu on 17 October, with her engines secured, "Montgomery" sighted a mine floating close aboard to port. The wind swung the ship down onto the mine before she could get underway or destroy it. The resulting explosion flooded both engine rooms and one fireroom, ruptured fuel tanks, and killed four of her crew. Salvage efforts kept her afloat until she could be towed to Ulithi for repairs. Underway on her own power on 12 January 1945, "Montgomery" arrived at San Francisco on 14 February. There it was recommended that she be decommissioned, which she was on 23 April 1945. "Montgomery" was sold for scrapping on 11 March 1946.