combat on 23 March, the day before she arrived off Okinawa. That evening, enemy aircraft attacked her task group. Adams sustained her first casualties when a projectile fired from the after five-inch mount exploded prematurely killing two sailors and injuring another 13. At dawn the following day, she began minesweeping operations off Okinawa. The destroyer minelayer provided gunfire support and mine destruction services to the wooden-hulled minesweepers doing the actual sweeping. Those operations continued over the next few days in spite of Japanese air resistance. During that time, she was attacked by at least twelve different planes. She confirmed six kills and claimed probable kills of two others. On 28 March, one of those attackers splashed about from her port bow showering her with debris and gasoline. She sustained damage in a collision with a salvage vessel that forced her into the anchorage at Kerama Retto for emergency repairs. On 1 April, while she was operating to the southeast of Kerama Retto, a badly damaged Japanese plane splashed close aboard her stern; and what must have been two bombs exploded under her fantail causing severe damage and jamming her rudders at hard right. While she steamed in righthand circles, two more kamikaze planes swooped in at her. Adams destroyed one while the other succumbed to the antiaircraft battery on , the ship dispatched to assist Adams. Later, Adams was towed into Kerama Retto to begin temporary repairs alongside . Adams departed Kerama Retto on 7 April, bound ultimately for the United States and permanent repairs. She made stops at Guam and at Pearl Harbor before arriving at the Mare Island Navy Yard on 7 May. She completed repairs and post-repair trials and calibrations during the first week in July. On 6 July, she put to sea for exercises off Santa Catalina, CA and entered port at San Diego on 10 July. After brief post-repair shakedown training and inspections, the destroyer minelayer stood out of San Diego on 17 July on her way back to Hawaii. She arrived at Oahu on 23 July and spent the next 11 days in gunnery exercises—both antiaircraft and shore bombardment—in the Hawaiian operating area. On 4 August, she and departed Pearl Harbor, bound for the western Pacific. The two warships stopped overnight on 11/12 August at Eniwetok Atoll where they picked up . They escorted the attack transport to the Marianas and arrived at Guam