strikes in support of troops ashore, followed up by a visit to Eniwetok Atoll and then bombardment duties of Japan and Parry Island. Following the invasion, the destroyer performed fire support and patrol operations off the atoll during mop-up operations. Heermann was then assigned to the Third Fleet and Task Force 39 on 18 March 1944 after stopping at Majuro Lagoon and then Port Purvis on Florida Island, in the Solomons. For the next month the destroyer escorted convoys which were occupying Emirau Island and seeking out enemy supply barges along the coast of New Hanover. Following a stop at Purvis on 3 June, Heermann took part in the bombardment of a tank farm on Fangelawa Bay, New Ireland on 11 June, and then performed ASW patrols from the Solomons towards the Admiralty, Caroline, and Marshall islands until 26 June. In mid-1944, Heermann escorted merchant shipping from Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides and Nouméa, New Caledonia. The destroyer returned to Port Purvis and departed on 6 September 1944 with Rear Admiral William Sample's escort carrier force, providing escort during the invasion of the Palau Islands. Following this, the destroyer was detached for operations in the Philippine Islands. Battle off Samar: October 1944 Heermann screened transports and landing ships to the beaches of Leyte under the command of recently promoted Commander Amos T. Hathaway, then joined Rear Admiral Thomas L. Sprague's Escort Carrier Group (Task Group 77.4) which was made up of three escort carrier task units, known as the "Three Taffies" because of their voice calls: "Taffy 1", "Taffy 2", and "Taffy 3". Destroyers and joined her in screening Rear Admiral Clifton Sprague's unit, "Taffy 3" which also included his flagship and five other escort carriers. On 25 October 1944 found the task group east of Samar steaming north as the Northern Air Support Group. At 06:45 lookouts observed anti-aircraft fire to the north and within three minutes, were under heavy fire from Japanese Admiral Takeo Kurita's Center Force of four battleships, six heavy cruisers, two light cruisers, and 11 destroyers. In an effort to withdraw away to the south from Kurita's force, the escorts began to make smoke screens to mask the movement of the larger ships. Heermann, on the opposite side of the carriers from the Japanese force at the opening of the battle, steamed into the action at flank speed through the escort carriers which, after launching their