"Johnnie Hutchins" got underway for the Pacific Ocean 30 November from Norfolk, steaming by way of the Panama Canal, Bora Bora, and Manus, and arriving Hollandia 21 January 1945. Five days later she steamed from Humboldt Bay to Leyte on her first Pacific escort assignment, arriving Leyte Gulf 31 January. During the months that followed the ship acted as an escort for resupply and reinforcement convoys from advance bases to Lingayen and Leyte, thus contributing to the imminent defeat of Japan.