1944, she joined the Northern Attack Force staging for the assault on the Marshall Islands. As the primary fighter director ship for the initial transport group, Macdonough at first operated off Kwajalein Atoll. On 29 January, she proceeded to Wotje Atoll and participated in the shore bombardment there until returning to Kwajalein on the 31st for the occupation of Root and Namur Islands. The destroyer then took up radar picket duties until proceeding on to Eniwetok Atoll. On 21 and 22 February, Macdonough shelled Japanese positions on Parry Island at the deep entrance to Eniwetok lagoon. A month later, she was a reference and rendezvous ship for carrier TF 58, then striking the Palau Islands. Continuing her varied pace, she was at Hollandia, New Guinea, by 21 April, providing fire support for the landings there. Then, at the end of the mouth she steamed eastward to take up radar picket duty south of Truk. During this assignment, Macdonough, with the light aircraft carrier and destroyer , sank the Japanese submarine on 30 April 1944. Marianas Campaign On 4 May, the destroyer arrived at Majuro to join the forces gathering for the invasion of the Marianas. Departing the Marshalls 6 June, Macdonough operated with the fast carrier force during the Saipan invasion. She performed screening and picket duties and was part of the bombardment group firing on Japanese installations on the west side of the Island. She next took part in the Battle of the Philippine Sea, 19 to 20 June, firing at the few enemy planes which got through the combat air patrol. Ordered to Guam, she covered underwater demolition teams reconnoitering the beaches and provided harassing fire to prevent repairs to beach defenses on the island. On 21 July, the destroyer patrolled the waters off Guam to protect the assault craft from enemy submarines, continuing that role until departing for Hawaii 10 August. Philippines After a brief stay at Pearl Harbor, Macdonough departed for the Admiralty Islands. She arrived at Manus on 15 September and commenced escort duties. On 14 October, she accompanied troop transports to Leyte and remained through the Battle of Leyte Gulf, 24 to 25 October. She then steamed back to Manus for another convoy to Leyte, 3 November, and upon her return to Philippine waters patrolled Leyte Gulf and the southern Surigao Strait area. The next mouth, Macdonough resumed escort duty. Operating out of Ulithi,