Kammala wannan jumla: Tsakanin 18 da 24 ga Oktoba, "Taylor" ya kasance naúrar allon don matakin ƙarfafa na biyu don
mamayewar Leyte. A lokacin da aka kai harin sama na Japan a ranar 24, mai hallaka ya kafa wani shinge na hayaki don kare motar. A wannan daren, yayin da aka fara yakin Surigao Strait, "Taylor" da sauran masu hallaka na rukuni sun kasance kusa da ƙofar San Pedro Bay. Ko da yake ba ta shiga cikin haɗin kai ba, "Taylor" ya shiga cikin goyon baya a rana mai zuwa. Bayan haka, ta yi sintiri a kusa da Dinagat Island tare da wani rukunin da aka sani da "torpedo attack force". A ranar 27 da 28 ga watan Oktoba, jirgin ya kaddamar da TG 77.4, ƙungiyar masu ɗaukar hoto. A lokacin wannan aikin, ta ceto wani matukin jirgi na jirgin ruwa na "Enterprise" (CV-6) da wani ma'aikacin jirgin ruwa daga "Petrof Bay" (CVE-80). Sau da yawa, ta taimaka wajen kawar da hare-haren jiragen sama na Japan.