Japanese submarine chaser Cha-42 (1943)

Cha-42 or No. 42 (Japanese: 第四十二號驅潜特務艇) 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-42
Laid down:	10 July 1942
Launched:	7 June 1943
Completed:	27 August 1943
Commissioned:	27 August 1943
Stricken:	3 May 1947
Homeport:	Sasebo
Fate:	sunk by torpedo, 23 June 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:	1 × intermediate diesel shingle shaft, 400 bhp
Speed:	11.0 knots (12.7 mph; 20.4 km/h)
Range:	1,000 nmi (1,900 km) at 10.0 kn (11.5 mph; 18.5 km/h)
Complement:	32
Armament:	1 × 7.7 mm machine gun[2] 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

She was laid down on 10 July 1942 and launched on 7 June 1943.[3] On 27 August 1943, she was completed, commissioned, and assigned to the Sasebo Defense Force, Sasebo Naval District.[3] On 15 October 1943, she was reassigned to the 31st Guard Unit Unit, Manila.[3] On 20 February 1945, she was reassigned to the 21st Special Base Force, Surabaya, Java.[3]

On 23 June 1945, she was attacked and sunk by a torpedo from the American submarine USS Hardhead southeast of the Masalembu Islands at 05°44′S 114°16′E.[3][4] She was removed from the Navy List on 3 May 1947.[3]

References

1. Toda, Gengoro S. (21 September 2019). "驅潜特務艇 (Cha - Stats)". Imperial Japanese Navy - Tokusetsukansen (in Japanese).
2. "1-GO auxiliary submarine chasers (1943 - 1945)". navypedia.org. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
3. Toda, Gengoro S. "第四十二號驅潜特務艇の艦歴 (No. 42 submarine chaser - Ship History)". Imperial Japanese Navy -Tokusetsu Kansen (in Japanese).
4. "Hardhead (SS-365)". uboat.net. Retrieved 22 June 2020.