At this time, CortDiv 19 consisted of the destroyer escorts Bates, Bull, Bunch, Rich, Amesbury, and Blessman.

On 8 June, she rescued 163 survivors of the destroyer Meredith, which sustained severe damage and sank when she struck a mine.

Returning to New York City on 21 June, Bates underwent a brief yard availability and then escorted another convoy to England.

Between December 1944 and February 1945, Bates carried out training operations, with various Underwater Demolition Teams embarked, in the vicinity of the Hawaiian and western Caroline Islands.

She arrived off Iwo Jima on 16 February and remained in the vicinity until 4 March, during which time she conducted high-speed observation runs around the island and acted as the parent ship for UDT-12.