On 18 October, she rendezvoused with the damaged cruisers Houston (CL-81) and Canberra (CA-70) as they returned from a successful Fast Carrier Task Force strike on Formosa.

After refueling the battle-scarred ships and their escort, Tomahawk continued on to her assigned area where she provided support for units active in the battle for Leyte Gulf.

The undersea raider sent fleet oiler Mississinewa (AO-59) down in flames before being rammed and sunk by destroyer Case (DD-370) just a mile and one-half from Tomahawk.

During the first two weeks of February, she fueled units of Admiral Raymond A. Spruance's 5th Fleet preparatory to operations off Nanpo Shoto and, later in the month, supported Task Force 58 which was striking targets in the Tokyo area.

While at Kerama Retto early in April, Tomahawk fought off enemy air raiders and later suffered some minor damage to her plating and degaussing cable while fueling Arkansas (BB-33).

In September 1961, the tanker was transferred to the Maritime Administration (MARAD), assigned to the National Defense Reserve Fleet, and berthed in Suisun Bay, California.

Upon completion of the conversion and delivery in 1967 Seatrain Maine, IMO 6709804, was chartered to the MSTS in support of overseas U.S. military operations, including the transport of material, equipment and aircraft to Vietnam.