Six days later, the force again sortied from Ulithi.
On 2–3 January 1945, strikes were conducted against Formosa.
From 5–7 January, Luzon was hit.
On 9 January, fighter sweeps against Formosa were resumed.
The force then headed for the Bashi Channel and a five-day, high-speed strike against enemy surface units in the South China Sea and against installations along the coast of Indochina.
On 15–16 January, the Hong Kong-Amoy-Swatow area was hit, and on 20 January, the force passed through Luzon Strait to resume operations against Formosa.
On 21 January, aerial opposition was constant.
Bogies appeared on the screen throughout the day.
Langley and Ticonderoga were hit.
On 22 January, strikes were launched against the Ryukyu Islands, and the next day, the force headed for the Western Carolines.

Arriving on 26 January, the ships sailed again on 10 February.
On 16–17 February, strikes were conducted against air facilities in central Honshū.
On 18 February, the force moved toward the Volcano and Bonin Islands, and on 19 February, covering operations for the Iwo Jima assault began.
The next day, San Francisco closed on Iwo Jima with other cruisers and assumed fire support duties, which she continued until 23 February.
Then she headed back toward Japan.
On 25 February, Tokyo was the target.
Poor weather prohibited operations against Nagoya on the following day, and on 27 February, the force headed back to Ulithi.

On 21 March, San Francisco, now attached to Task Force 54 (TF 54) for the invasion of Okinawa, departed Ulithi for the Ryukyus.
On 25 March, she approached Kerama Retto, west of Okinawa, and furnished fire support for minesweeping and underwater demolition operations.
That night, she retired and the next morning moved back in to support the landings and supply counter battery fire on Aka, Keruma, Zamami, and Yakabi Islands.

By the morning of 27 March, aerial resistance had begun.
The next day, San Francisco shifted to Okinawa for shore bombardment in preparation for the assault landings scheduled for 1 April.
On that day, she took up station in fire support sector 5, west of Naha, and, for the next five days, shelled enemy emplacements, caves, pillboxes, road junctions, and tanks, truck, and troop concentrations.
At night, she provided harassing fire near the beachhead.

On 6 April, the cruiser retired to Kerama Retto, refueled and took on ammunition, assisted in splashing a Nakajima B6N "Jill" torpedo bomber, then rejoined TF 54 off Okinawa as that force underwent another air raid.
San Francisco downed a Nakajima B5N "Kate" torpedo bomber.
Dawn of 7 April brought another air raid, during which a kamikaze attempted to crash the cruiser.
It was splashed 50 yd (46 m) off the starboard bow.
After the raid, San Francisco shifted to TF 51 for fire support missions on the east coast of Okinawa, rejoining TF 54 on the west coast in late afternoon.
On 11 April, air attacks increased, and the next day, San Francisco set an Aichi D3A "Val" dive bomber on fire.
The plane then glanced off a merchant ship and hit the water, enveloped in flames.

On 13–14 April, the cruiser again operated with TF 51 off the east coast of the embattled island.
The next day, she returned to Kerama Retto, there proceeding to Okinawa and operations with TF 54 in the transport area.
There she provided night illumination to detect swimmers and Shinyo suicide boats, and just before midnight assisted in sinking one of the latter.
During the night, two further attempts by Shinyos to close the transports were thwarted.

With dawn, San Francisco returned to the Naha area to shell the airfield there.
On 17 April, she moved up the coast and fired on the Machinate air field.
The next day, she again shifted to the eastern side of the island and, that night, anchored in Nakagusuku Wan.
The next day, San Francisco supported troops in the southern part of the island.
From 21–24 April, she shelled targets in the Naha airstrip area; and got underway for Ulithi.

On 13 May, San Francisco returned to Okinawa, arriving in Nakagusuku Wan and resuming support activities against t
Six days later, the force again sortied from Ulithi. On 2–3 January 1945, strikes were conducted against Formosa. From 5–7 January, Luzon was hit. On 9 January, fighter sweeps against Formosa were resumed. The force then headed for the Bashi Channel and a five-day, high-speed strike against enemy surface units in the South China Sea and against installations along the coast of Indochina. On 15–16 January, the Hong Kong-Amoy-Swatow area was hit, and on 20 January, the force passed through Luzon Strait to resume operations against Formosa. On 21 January, aerial opposition was constant. Bogies appeared on the screen throughout the day. Langley and Ticonderoga were hit. On 22 January, strikes were launched against the Ryukyu Islands, and the next day, the force headed for the Western Carolines.
Arriving on 26 January, the ships sailed again on 10 February. On 16–17 February, strikes were conducted against air facilities in central Honshū. On 18 February, the force moved toward the Volcano and Bonin Islands, and on 19 February, covering operations for the Iwo Jima assault began. The next day, San Francisco closed on Iwo Jima with other cruisers and assumed fire support duties, which she continued until 23 February. Then she headed back toward Japan. On 25 February, Tokyo was the target. Poor weather prohibited operations against Nagoya on the following day, and on 27 February, the force headed back to Ulithi.
On 21 March, San Francisco, now attached to Task Force 54 (TF 54) for the invasion of Okinawa, departed Ulithi for the Ryukyus. On 25 March, she approached Kerama Retto, west of Okinawa, and furnished fire support for minesweeping and underwater demolition operations. That night, she retired and the next morning moved back in to support the landings and supply counter battery fire on Aka, Keruma, Zamami, and Yakabi Islands.
By the morning of 27 March, aerial resistance had begun. The next day, San Francisco shifted to Okinawa for shore bombardment in preparation for the assault landings scheduled for 1 April. On that day, she took up station in fire support sector 5, west of Naha, and, for the next five days, shelled enemy emplacements, caves, pillboxes, road junctions, and tanks, truck, and troop concentrations. At night, she provided harassing fire near the beachhead.
On 6 April, the cruiser retired to Kerama Retto, refueled and took on ammunition, assisted in splashing a Nakajima B6N "Jill" torpedo bomber, then rejoined TF 54 off Okinawa as that force underwent another air raid. San Francisco downed a Nakajima B5N "Kate" torpedo bomber. Dawn of 7 April brought another air raid, during which a kamikaze attempted to crash the cruiser. It was splashed 50 yd (46 m) off the starboard bow. After the raid, San Francisco shifted to TF 51 for fire support missions on the east coast of Okinawa, rejoining TF 54 on the west coast in late afternoon. On 11 April, air attacks increased, and the next day, San Francisco set an Aichi D3A "Val" dive bomber on fire. The plane then glanced off a merchant ship and hit the water, enveloped in flames.
On 13–14 April, the cruiser again operated with TF 51 off the east coast of the embattled island. The next day, she returned to Kerama Retto, there proceeding to Okinawa and operations with TF 54 in the transport area. There she provided night illumination to detect swimmers and Shinyo suicide boats, and just before midnight assisted in sinking one of the latter. During the night, two further attempts by Shinyos to close the transports were thwarted.
With dawn, San Francisco returned to the Naha area to shell the airfield there. On 17 April, she moved up the coast and fired on the Machinate air field. The next day, she again shifted to the eastern side of the island and, that night, anchored in Nakagusuku Wan. The next day, San Francisco supported troops in the southern part of the island. From 21–24 April, she shelled targets in the Naha airstrip area; and got underway for Ulithi.
On 13 May, San Francisco returned to Okinawa, arriving in Nakagusuku Wan and resuming support activities against t
USS San Francisco (CA-38)