Japanese submarine chaser Cha-156 (1944)
Cha-156 or No. 156 (Japanese: 第百五十六號驅潜特務艇) was a No.1-class auxiliary submarine chaser of the Imperial Japanese Navy that served during World War II.
History | |
---|---|
Empire of Japan | |
Name: | Cha-156 |
Laid down: | 15 September 1943 |
Launched: | 25 January 1944 |
Completed: | 31 March 1944 |
Stricken: | 10 May 1945 |
Homeport: | Kure |
Fate: | sunk by aircraft, 29 March 1945 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type: | No.1-class Submarine chaser |
Displacement: | 130 long tons (132 t) standard[1] |
Length: | 29.20 m (95 ft 10 in) overall |
Beam: | 5.65 m (18 ft 6 in) |
Draught: | 1.97 m (6 ft 6 in) |
Propulsion: | |
Speed: | 11.0 knots (20.4 km/h; 12.7 mph) |
Range: | 1,000 nmi (1,900 km; 1,200 mi) at 10.0 kn (18.5 km/h; 11.5 mph) |
Complement: | 32 |
Armament: |
|
History
She was laid down on 15 September 1943 and launched on 25 January 1944.[3] She was completed on 31 March 1944 and assigned to the Saeki Defense Unit, Kure Defense Force, Kure Naval District.[3] On 1 November 1944, she was reassigned to the Kaohsiung Defense Force, Formosa.[3]
Convoy MI-27
On 15 November 1944, she departed Moji, Kitakyūshū destined for Miri, Borneo with fellow No.1-class auxiliary submarine chaser Cha-157, Type C escort ship CD-61,[4] Type D escort ship CD-134, and minesweeper W-101, escorting convoy MI-27 consisting of four tankers (Awagawa Maru, Kyokuun Maru, Osakasan Maru, and Enkei Maru) and six transport/cargo ships (Edogawa Maru, Shoho Maru, Matsuura Maru, Seisho Maru, Koshu Maru, and Chinkai Maru).[5] Enkei Maru and Kyokuun Maru developed mechanical problems and were forced to return to Moji.[5] The convoy was running parallel to Convoy Hi-81 which had left Imari on 14 November 1944 destined for Formosa to benefit from air cover provided by HI-81's escort carrier Shin'yō which was carrying fourteen Nakajima B5N "Kate" torpedo bombers of the 931st Air Squadron, Saeki Naval Air Station.[6] The two convoys converged together at times.[6]
On 17 November 1944, in the Yellow Sea off Cheju Island, MI-27 was spotted by the US submarines Sunfish and Peto which were operating in a wolfpack with Spadefish.[5] Sunfish torpedoed and damaged both Edogawa Maru and Seisho Maru while Peto torpedoed and sank Osakasan Maru (killing 142).[5] Nearby, Spadefish spotted Shin'yō of HI-81 and fired six torpedoes four of which hit causing the carrier to burst into flames and sink (killing 1,130).[6] W-101 and CD-61 were unattached from MI-27 to pick up survivors.[6] On 18 November 1944, Sunfish torpedoed and sank the damaged Seisho Maru (killing 448) and the damaged Edogawa Maru (killing 2,083); while Peto torpedoed and sank Chinkai Maru (killing 39).[5] After losing four of the eight ships being escorted, the remainder of convoy MI-27 arrived at Sijiao Island on 19 November 1944.[5]
Demise
On 29 March 1945, she was attacked and sunk by Consolidated B-24 Liberators with the Fifth Air Force while docked in port at 22°40′N 120°15′E.[3][7] She was struck from the Navy List on 10 May 1945.[3]
References
- Toda, Gengoro S. (21 September 2019). "驅潜特務艇 (Cha - Stats)". Imperial Japanese Navy - Tokusetsukansen (in Japanese).
- "1-GO auxiliary submarine chasers (1943 - 1945)". navypedia.org. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
- Toda, Gengoro S. "第百五十六號驅潜特務艇の艦歴 (No. 156 submarine chaser - Ship History)". Imperial Japanese Navy -Tokusetsu Kansen (in Japanese).
- Hackett, Bob; Kingsepp, Sander; Yutaka, Iwasaki; Casse, Gilbert; Cundall, Peter. "IJN Escort CD-61: Tabular Record of Movement". combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
- Hackett, Bob; Kingsepp, Sander; Mcilveen, Hans; Casse, Gilbert; Cundall, Peter. "IJN Minesweeper W-101: Tabular Record of Movement". combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
- Tully, Anthony P. "IJN Shinyo: Tabular Record of Movement". combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
- Lettens, Jan (24 January 2014). "Cha-156 (+1945)". Wrecksite.