I te mutunga o te tau 1944, ka tautoko a Hayler me ana kaipuke i te whakaekenga o te moana ki Leyte
, te mahi amphibious nui rawa atu i te Rohe o te Moananui-a-Kiwa ki te Tonga, a ka whakawhiwhia ki a ia te Legion of Merit tuarua mo te kaiarahi o ana kaipuke. I tukuna ia i te Maehe 1945 ka whakahaua kia hoki ki te United States, i mahi ai ia hei mema o te Poari Matua o te Navy tae noa ki te mutunga o te Pakanga.