On 30 January 1945, Robbins – by then a captain – became commanding officer of the aircraft carrier . While he was in command, "Lexington" participated in strikes against Tokyo, Japan, in February 1945 in support of the Iwo Jima campaign and against Japanese forces on Iwo Jima itself. After an overhaul in the United States, "Lexington" returned to action, attacking Japanese forces on Luzon in June 1945 during the Luzon campaign and participating in heavy strikes against Japan itself in July and August 1945, when the war ended. Immediately after the war, Robbins oversaw "Lexington"s efforts to air-drop supplies to Allied prisoners-of-war in Japan in advance of their liberation by occupying American forces. "Lexington" was the first "Essex"-class aircraft carrier to enter Tokyo Bay after the war, and she was anchored there on 16 November 1945 when Robbins was promoted to rear admiral and left the ship for assignments in Washington, D.C. He received the Legion of Merit with Combat Distinguishing Device (Combat "V") for his tour aboard "Lexington".