On 5 January 1945, the destroyer made rendezvous with the Fast Carrier Task Force (then Task Force 38) under Admiral William F. Halsey, Commander, 3rd Fleet. Air strikes against Luzon began on 6 January 1945 and were followed by strikes against Formosa, Saigon, the Pescadore Islands, and Hong Kong. Photo reconnaissance planes surveyed Okinawa Gunto in preparation for the upcoming invasion. On 23 January, "Wallace L. Lind" left the area north of Luzon and arrived at Ulithi three days later for upkeep.