She moved back out to sea in February and arrived off Iwo Jima three days after the initial assault. For 31 days, she performed yeoman service for the warships in the area. She pulled a transport off a sand bar. She provided engine partial power to , which had lost one engine, as "LST-944" made her run for the beach, and "Zuni" remained alongside "LST-944" to assist the vessel to remain in position on the beach against the very high surf to land the US Army 506th 90 mm AAA Battalion, which was attached to the 3rd Marine Division. The use of a tug to help power an LST (Landing Ship, Tank) to the beach was a Navy first in amphibious landings. Her more routine missions consisted of assisting broached landing craft and laying submerged fuel pipes.