Departing Leyte on 1 November, "Manning" steamed via Kossol to Humboldt Bay where she arrived the 6th. Eight days later, she joined the screen for a task group of transports, LSTs, and amphibious craft steaming via Biak to Leyte. The ships came under air attack at dusk on 23 November, but effective gunfire from the task group drove off the attackers. "Manning" entered Leyte Gulf early the 24th. As she screened the transport area, her 20 mm guns hit and repelled an enemy dive bomber.