 In sinking "I-12", "Rockford" and "Ardent" unwittingly had avenged the crew of the Liberty Ship SS "John A. Johnson"; on 30 October 1944, after sinking "John A. Johnson", "I-12" had rammed and sunk her lifeboats and rafts and then machine-gunned her 70 survivors, killing 10.On 17 November 1944, "Rockford" arrived on the U.S. West Coast for scheduled repairs.After their completion, she reported for duty on 4 January 1945 to Commander, Alaskan Sea Frontier, for duty in the waters of the Territory of Alaska and the North Pacific, operating until August 1945 from Dutch Harbor, Cold Bay, and Adak as pilot vessel for the group.