"Fletcher" yakasvika Manus musi wa 9 Gumiguru 1944 kubva kuHumboldt Bay kugadzirira kupinda kweLeyte, iyo yakaburitsa 12 Gumiguru yekuongorora kutakura. Akavadzivirira apo vakatumira zvikepe zvavo kumhenderekedzo mumatanho ekutanga 20 October, uye zuva rakatevera akaenda kuNew Guinea, nokudaro achibvisa Leyte Gulf pamberi pehondo huru
nokuti kudzora kwaro kwakaputsika. Akadzokera kuLeyte nevatakuri vaitakura zvikwata zve 23 November, uye kuburikidza nemwedzi unotevera, akaramba achitsigira chikamu chekutanga chekusunungurwa kwePhilippines, kutungamira makondirakiti, kupfura pre-landing bombardments paOrmoc Bay neMindoro, uye kupfura ndege dzeJapan mukurwisa kwakasiyana-siyana.