Joining Task Force 58 in January 1944, "North Carolina" escorted aircraft carriers as the flagship of Vice Admiral Willis A. Lee, Commander, Battleships, Pacific Fleet (ComBatPac) for much of the year, providing support for airborne strikes on Kwajalein, Namur, Truk (twice), Saipan, Tinian, Guam, Palau, Woleai, and Hollandia in January–April. Also in April, "North Carolina" destroyed defensive installations on Ponape before setting course for Pearl Harbor for repairs to a damaged rudder. With repairs completed, the battleship joined with "Enterprise" on 6 June for assaults within the Marianas; as part of these, "North Carolina" used its main battery to bombard Saipan and Tanapag.