 When the "Neches" left Ulithi on 15 November, the "Mississinewa" docked in her berth, and was hit by a Japanese Kaiten torpedo.By mid-January 1945 "Neches" was en route to again to Leyte Gulf and the South China Sea, where she fueled ships into February.She returned to Leyte on 18 March and fueled transports in preparation for the invasion of Okinawa.