Marc Mitscher
Shortly before the assault on Iwo Jima, TF 38 was reorganized as TF 58 under Vice Admiral Marc Mitscher. "Ault" was assigned to Rear Admiral Forrest Sherman's Task Group 58.3, which launched diversionary strikes against Formosa, Luzon, and the Japanese mainland on 16 and 17 February. The carriers provided air cover for the operations on Iwo Jima on 19 February and raided the Tokyo area on the 25th and Okinawa on 1 March before retiring to Ulithi on 4 March.