Japanese submarine chaser Cha-156

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
NameCha-156
Laid down15 September 1943
Launched25 January 1944
Completed31 March 1944
Stricken10 May 1945
HomeportKure
FateSunk by aircraft, 29 March 1945
General characteristics
Class and typeNo.1-class Submarine chaser
Displacement130 long tons (132 t) standard[1]
Length29.20 m (95 ft 10 in) overall
Beam5.65 m (18 ft 6 in)
Draught1.97 m (6 ft 6 in)
Propulsion
  • 1 × intermediate diesel
  • shingle shaft, 400 bhp (300 kW)
Speed11.0 knots (20.4 km/h; 12.7 mph)
Range1,000 nmi (1,900 km; 1,200 mi) at 10.0 kn (18.5 km/h; 11.5 mph)
Complement32
Armament
  • 1 × 7.7 mm machine gun
  • 22 × depth charges
  • 1 × dunking hydrophone
  • 1 × simple sonar
  • From mid 1943, the 7.7 mm machine gun was replaced with a 13.2mm machine gun

History

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She was laid down on 15 September 1943 and launched on 25 January 1944.[2] She was completed on 31 March 1944 and assigned to the Saeki Defense Unit, Kure Defense Force, Kure Naval District.[2] On 1 November 1944, she was reassigned to the Kaohsiung Defense Force, Formosa.[2]

Convoy MI-27

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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,[3] 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).[4] Enkei Maru and Kyokuun Maru developed mechanical problems and were forced to return to Moji.[4] 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.[5] The two convoys converged together at times.[5]

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.[4] Sunfish torpedoed and damaged both Edogawa Maru and Seisho Maru while Peto torpedoed and sank Osakasan Maru (killing 142).[4] 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).[5] W-101 and CD-61 were disattached from MI-27 to pick up survivors.[5] 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).[4] After losing four of the eight ships being escorted, the remainder of convoy MI-27 arrived at Sijiao Island on 19 November 1944.[4]

Demise

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On 29 March 1945, she was attacked and sunk by Consolidated B-24 Liberators with the Fifth Air Force while docked in the port of Takao, Taiwan at 22°40′N 120°15′E / 22.667°N 120.250°E / 22.667; 120.250.[2][6] She was struck from the Navy List on 10 May 1945.[2]

References

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  1. ^ Toda, Gengoro S. (21 September 2019). "驅潜特務艇 (Cha - Stats)". Imperial Japanese Navy - Tokusetsukansen (in Japanese).
  2. ^ a b c d e 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).
  3. ^ Hackett, Bob; Kingsepp, Sander; Yutaka, Iwasaki; Casse, Gilbert; Cundall, Peter. "IJN Escort CD-61: Tabular Record of Movement". combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Hackett, Bob; Kingsepp, Sander; Mcilveen, Hans; Casse, Gilbert; Cundall, Peter. "IJN Minesweeper W-101: Tabular Record of Movement". combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  5. ^ a b c d Tully, Anthony P. "IJN Shinyo: Tabular Record of Movement". combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  6. ^ Lettens, Jan (24 January 2014). "Cha-156 (+1945)". Wrecksite.