"Litchfield" promptly set off to join American light forces departing from the harbor, leaving "Thresher" alone to conduct her first real war patrol. However, the destroyer was ordered back to escort; radio contact was established, and a rendezvous arranged, with "Thresher". At the pre-appointed time, "Thresher" poked up her periscope to have a look, and noticed a destroyer—similar to "Litchfield"—approaching bows-on. Instead of a warm reception from friends, she got a hot reception from the destroyer's forward gunners, who opened fire on her as soon as her black conning tower broke the surface. "Thresher" immediately went deep to avoid. She again tried to enter the harbor on 8 December, but was driven off by depth-bombs from a patrol plane, before finally arrived to provide safe conduct for the boat at midday.