 Anti-submarine patrol and screening for ships operating around New Guinea were her primary duties into October 1944.On 18 October 1944 she got underway screening the second reinforcement group bound for newly invaded Leyte in the Philippine Islands, arriving in San Pedro Bay on 24 October to screen transports and supply ships under numerous Japanese air attacks while waiting for a group of empty tank landing shipss to form up for the return passage.As her convoy retired on 26 October 1944, Japanese aircraft again attacked it, and "Muskogee" joined in downing several enemy aircraft.