After two long cruises to the Pacific in support of U.S. occupation forces in Japan. "Henderson" departed San Diego on 5 August 1950 to join the United Nations forces in Korea. Arriving Yokosuka, Japan on 19 August she served as a screening ship for fast carrier forces whose aircraft flew ground support and other missions in Korea. As U.S. forces prepared to leap northward with the Inchon invasion, "Henderson" was with the assault forces. She steamed up Flying Fish Channel on 13 September, destroying mines and bombarding the Inchon waterfront preparatory to the invasion. The destroyers also traded blows with Communist shore batteries. The gunfire support group again entered the channel into Inchon Bay 14 to 15 September, softening up shore defenses. General of the Army Douglas MacArthur soon made signal as the Marines landed that day: "The Navy and Marines have never shone more brightly than this morning." "Henderson" remained on fire support duty at Inchon until 1 October.