Losing power again at 0635, "Aaron Ward" was taken in tow by "Bobolink", and the ships began moving toward safety. The tug turned the tow over to a local patrol boat at 0650, and the destroyer anchored in Tulagi harbor near Makambo Island at 0830. The nine direct hits she had received resulted in 15 men dead and 57 wounded. After receiving temporary repairs locally, "Aaron Ward" sailed for Hawaii soon afterwards, reaching Pearl Harbor on 20 December 1942 for permanent repairs.