Provisioning and upkeep complete, "Abbot" put to sea on 2 January 1945 with TG 77.4, the Escort Carrier Group for the invasion of Luzon at Lingayen Gulf. Within that task organization, she was assigned to the screen of Rear Admiral Felix Stump's San Fabian Carrier Group. During the voyage from Leyte to Lingayen, the formation came under increasingly intense air attacks by the "kamikaze" corps. On 4 January, one aircraft succeeded in crashing into and damaged that escort carrier so badly that she was abandoned and sunk by a torpedo from . On 6 January, the Support Carrier Group divided into its constituent units, the Lingayen and San Fabian groups. "Abbot" continued to provide antisubmarine and anti-air protection to the San Fabian group while aircraft from its carriers carried out prelanding bombing and strafing missions and, after the 9th, supported the invasion troops in their struggle to wrest the island from the Japanese. That duty – as well as support for the secondary landings at San Felipe and Nsugbu — lasted until 31 January. At that time, "Abbot" departed Lingayen Gulf in company with the carriers and headed for Mindoro.