On 24 January 1943, "Wahoo" dove north of Kairiru Island and proceeded around the western end to penetrate Victoria Bay. She sighted the Japanese destroyer with "RO"-class submarines nested alongside. The destroyer was getting underway, so "Wahoo" fired a spread of three torpedoes at the moving target from ; all missed aft. Another torpedo was fired, which the destroyer avoided by turning away, continuing through 270 degrees of a circle and headed straight for "Wahoo", whose position was marked by the wakes of the steam torpedoes. At a range of she fired her last bow torpedo. This hit amidships, breaking the destroyer's back."Apparently her skipper had lost his nerve when he saw our last torpedo heading toward him and put the rudder over to try to miss it, and by swinging himself broadside to it he signed the destroyer's death warrant." "Wahoo" had no difficulty escaping from the area. Despite heavy damage, "Harusame" was beached and repaired.