Philippines and Okinawa Campaigns
After overhaul on the west coast, Charles Ausburne returned to Ulithi 5 November 1944, and through the remainder of November guarded carriers providing air cover for convoys to Leyte. Heavy air action came in December, when from 19 December to 24 December, the destroyer led the first resupply convoy from San Pedro Bay to Mindoro. On 21 December, four separate raids, one of which included kamikazes, met the fire of the screening destroyers, and more raids were fought off as the convoy unloaded.
Continuing her support of the return to the Philippines, Charles Ausburne screened transports from San Pedro Bay, sailing 4 January 1945, north for Lingayen Gulf. On 7 January, the escort fought off an enemy air attack, and later, Charles Ausburne, with three other destroyers, sped off to investigate a radar contact. It was Hinoki, quickly sunk with all hands by effective fire of the four American ships. On 9 January and 10 January, she shielded the assault landings, then hurled 5-inch shells ashore to aid advancing troops. Returning to San Pedro 15 January, Charles Ausburne began 2 months of convoy escort and patrol duty to Lingayen, and around San Pedro Bay.
Through late March and April 1945, the destroyer screened landings at Panay and Negros, and provided night illumination and call-fire support at both Negroes and Parang on Mindanao. On 13 May, she sailed from San Pedro Bay to rejoin the 5th Fleet and on 16 May reached Okinawa's Hagushi anchorage. After a period of antisubmarine patrol, during which she twice drove off enemy air attack, she protected landings at Aguni Shima, and on 23 June, received her first assignment to the inferno of radar picket duty, which she survived without damage. She remained on patrol off Okinawa through the remainder of the war.
Charles Ausburne left Okinawa 10 September 1945, and arrived at Washington, D.C., 17 October to receive her Presidential Unit Citation. After a visit to New York, she reached Charleston, South Carolina, where she was placed out of commission in reserve 18 April 1946.
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