of Tinian. The Palau Islands offensive was next. She arrived off Peleliu on 11 September and remained through 30 September to support the forces landed on the 15th. On her arrival at Manus 4 October, McCord joined CarDiv 22, 7th Fleet, as it prepared for operations in the central Philippines. She arrived at her assigned operating area east of the Philippines as landings were made at Suluan and Dinagat, 17 October. On the 25th her task unit, 77.4.1, came under constant air attack as the Battle off Samar raged to the north. Escaping damage, McCord protected her unit's carriers and rescued their pilots. She returned to Manus 3 November, but was back off Leyte by the 16th to prevent enemy surface forces from attacking Allied forces, installations, and shipping in the central Philippines. On 6 December, at Ulithi, McCord joined the fast carrier force, TF 38. The force sortied from that island on 10 December and steamed to the Philippines to support the Mindoro landings by launching strikes against enemy airfields and harbors in the northern and central islands. Back at Ulithi by 24 December, they sortied again on 30 December. First they struck at Formosa, 3–6 January 1945. Then, in quick succession, they raided enemy installations and shipping in Indochina, southern Formosa, the China coast, the Philippines, eastern Formosa, and Okinawa. Constantly moving and always ready for targets of opportunity, the force's strikes were successful. While in the South China Sea on 11–12 January they sank or damaged almost 200,000 tons of enemy shipping. The force returned to Ulithi 23 January, remaining until 10 February. On 16 February, strikes were launched against Tokyo itself; on 18 February against Chichi Jima; and on 20 February against Iwo Jima in support of the Marine units landed on 19 February. By 24 February, the planes from TF 58 were back over Tokyo and on 25 February they flew against defense installations in the Nagoya-Kobe area. During March, McCord continued to operate in the screen of TG 58.4 as it concentrated its efforts against Okinawa and southern Kyūshū in preparation for the amphibious assault on the former 1 April. She remained in the Ryūkyū area until 12 May when she escorted the battleship to Guam. She returned to Okinawa on 27 May for a final two weeks of combat. TG 58.4 then retired to Leyte Gulf, arriving 13 June. McCord departed four days