''Cha-12'' or ''No. 12'' (''Japanese'': 第十二號驅潜特務艇) was a

No.1-class auxiliary submarine chaser The was a class of submarine chasers of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), serving during World War II. 200 vessels were built under the Maru Kyū Programme (Ship # 500–599) and the Maru Sen Programme (Ship # 2001–2100). Background In 193 ...

of the Imperial Japanese Navy that served during World War II.

History

She was laid down on 11 January 1942 and launched on 8 January 1943. She was completed on 6 April 1943. She was assigned to the Sasebo Defense Force,

Sasebo Naval District was the third of five main administrative districts of the pre-war Imperial Japanese Navy. Its territory included the western and southern coastline of Kyūshū, the Ryukyu Islands, Taiwan and Korea, as well as patrols in the East China Sea and t ...

on 6 April 1943. On 1 June 1943, she was reassigned to the First Base Force, Eighth Fleet.

Battle off Horaniu

On 17 August 1943, she was assigned to escort duty for 13 ''Daihatsu''-class landing craft and 3 motor torpedo boats carrying 2 companies of army troops and a naval platoon tasked with establishing a barge depot and staging base at Horaniu on the northeast part of Vella Lavella in order to facilitate the evacuation of 9,000 troops from the island. She was accompanied by subchaser ''Cha-5'', two armored ''Daihatsus'', another motor torpedo boat, and a ''Soukoutei''-class armored boat with four destroyers (, , , and ) commanded by Rear-Admiral Baron Matsuji Ijuin providing heavy cover. The convoy left Buin on the 17th and on 18 August 1943, they were attacked by the US destroyers USS ''Nicholas'', USS ''Chevalier'', USS ''O'Bannon'', and USS ''Taylor''. In the ensuing Battle off Horaniu, she was sunk along with '' Cha-5'', two torpedo boats, and one ''Daihatsu'' by gunfire north of Vella Lavella. She was struck from the Navy List on 1 November 1943.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:CHa-12 1943 ships Maritime incidents in August 1943 World War II shipwrecks in the Pacific Ocean No.1-class auxiliary submarine chasers Auxiliary ships of the Imperial Japanese Navy