In the immediate aftermath of the Battle of Cape St. George, fought on the night of 24–25 November 1943 in the waters between Buka Island and Cape St. George on New Ireland, I-177 got underway from Rabaul on 25 November to search for survivors of the sunken destroyer ; she rescued 279 men and the submarine rescued 11. As I-177 returned to Rabaul, a U.S. Navy Lockheed PV-1 Ventura patrol bomber of Patrol Squadron 138 (VP-138) attacked her off Cape St. George on 26 November 1943, but she avoided damage. She returned to Rabaul later that day, loaded provisions, and put back to sea the same day, then again returned to Rabaul on 29 November 1943.
