"Stephen Potter" entered the South China Sea on 9 January with the carriers which launched air strikes against Saigon and Camranh Bay, Indochina, on 12 January and Formosa on 15 January. Strikes were made against Hainan and Hong Kong on 16 January, after which American planes made a photographic reconnaissance of Okinawa before retiring to Ulithi. The destroyer sortied with TG 58.2 on 10 February and participated in the carrier strikes against the Tokyo area on, 16 and 17 February. From 19 through 22 February, strikes were launched against Iwo Jima to support the landing there. Two days later, the carriers sailed towards Japan and, on 25 February, launched air strikes against targets in the Tokyo Bay area before returning to Ulithi on 1 March.