A bit over a week later, on 17 May, — her officers and crew drained by long hours at general quarters and a night of illumination fire in support of the troops ashore — ran aground on a reef near Naha while en route to yet another call fire mission. "Arikara" rushed to her aid. Just when she began taking up slack on the towline, a Japanese shore battery opened up on the stranded destroyer with uncanny accuracy. The enemy artillerists straddled "Longshaw" immediately, and quickly scored four hits. One of the four caused a forward magazine to detonate blowing off the bow forward of the bridge. With "Longshaw" a total loss, "Arikara" parted the towline and moved off to see to her own defense and to rescue survivors. "Longshaw" was later destroyed by "friendly" gunfire and torpedoes.