following repairs at pearl harbor, "mercury" returned to the western pacific. she arrived at manus 3 october and 5 days later became a unit of the u.s. 7th fleet as task force tf 33 became tf 79 for the reconquest of the philippines. on the 14th, with army assault personnel again embarked, she sailed for leyte gulf. a week later she discharged her cargo and passengers off the dulag beachhead and then sailed for hollandia. through november and into december she carried reinforcements to leyte from new guinea and the admiralties.