On 8 November 1942, "Wahoo" got underway for her second war patrol, with Lieutenant Commander Dudley Walker "Mush" Morton also aboard for his prospective commanding officer (PCO) patrol. She arrived at her assigned area in the Solomon Islands, keeping Bougainville and Buka Islands in sight. On 30 November, the submarine spotted smoke at a distance of ; it was a lightly loaded freighter or transport with an escorting destroyer on the port bow. "Wahoo"s approach was unsuccessful, and she proceeded east of Cape Hanpan.