In the minutes that followed, "Aaron Ward" received eight more direct hits; unable to identify friend from foe and certain that the enemy had surely established her American character, the destroyer then stood out to clear the area. She lost steering control at 0225, and, steering with her engines, attempted to come to the right. Seeing no more firing after 0230, when the battle apparently ended, "Aaron Ward" went dead in the water at 0235, her forward engine room flooded with salt water and her feed water gone.