| History | |
|---|---|
 Empire of Japan | |
| Name | CH-17 |
| Builder | Tokyo Ishikawajima Zosen,Fukagawa |
| Laid down | 1941 |
| Launched | 3 May 1941 |
| Completed | 31 July 1941 |
| Commissioned | 31 July 1941 |
| Stricken | 10 September 1944 |
| Fate | Sunk by submarineUSS Springer, 28 April 1945 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | No.13-classsubmarine chaser |
| Displacement | 438 long tons (445 t) standard |
| Length | 51 m (167 ft 4 in)o/a |
| Beam | 6.7 m (22 ft 0 in) |
| Draught | 2.75 m (9 ft 0 in) |
| Propulsion | 2 ×Kampon Mk.23A Model 8 diesels, 2 shafts, 1,700 bhp (1,268 kW) |
| Speed | 16knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) |
| Range | 2,000 nmi (3,700 km) at 14 kn (26 km/h; 16 mph) |
| Complement | 68 |
| Sensors & processing systems |
|
| Armament |
|
CH-17 was aNo.13-classsubmarine chaser of theImperial Japanese Navy duringWorld War II.
CH-17 was laid down by Tokyo Ishikawajima Zosen at theirFukagawa shipyard in 1941 and launched on 3 May 1941.[1] On 31 July 1941, she was completed, commissioned, and registered to theSasebo Naval District.[1] On 1 October 1941, she was assigned to the 21st Subchaser Division (along withCH-4,CH-5,CH-6,CH-16,CH-18) and designated its flagship on 24 October 1941.[1] On 8 December 1941, the division was assigned to the Second Base Force,Third Fleet.[1]
In May 1942, she participated in theBattle of Midway (Operation "MI") where she was assigned to Miyamoto Sadachika's 16th Minesweeper Unit (along with auxiliaryminesweepersTama Maru No. 3,Tama Maru No. 5,Showa Maru No. 7,Showa Maru No. 8; submarine chasersCH-16, andCH-18; cargo shipsMeiyo Maru andYamafuku Maru; and auxiliary ammunition shipSoya).[1]
In January 1944, she was assigned to OperationTA No. 9 which was tasked with the reinforcement ofLeyte Island.[2] Submarine Chaser Division 21 (consisting ofCH-17 withCH-37) and Destroyer Division 30 (Yuzuki,Uzuki,Kiri) were to serve as escorts for three transports (Mino Maru,Sorachi Maru,Tasmania Maru) carrying 4,000 troops of the 5th Infantry Regiment and twolanding craft tank (T.140,T.159) carrying tenType 2 Ke-To light tanks and 400Special Naval Landing Force marines.[2] On 9 December 1944, the task force leftManila forOrmoc Bay.[2] On 11 December 1944, the convoy was attacked 30 miles off the coast of Leyte by 40USMCF4U Corsair fighter-bombers ofVMF-211,VMF-218, andVMF-313.[2] The planes sank Tasmania Maru (1,192 dead) and Mino Maru (14 dead).[2]Uzuki stayed behind to rescue survivors whileSorachi Maru,Ch-17, andCh-37 were diverted to land atPalompon; andT.140 andT.159 escorted byYuzuki andKiri landed their troops and tanks atOrmoc Bay.[2] 8 of 10 tanks reached the shore but were quickly destroyed or captured on the beach by U.S. ground forces and the destroyerUSSCoghlan.[2] In the ensuingBattle of Ormoc Bay, bothT.159 andT.140 were heavily damaged.[2]T.159 was deemed a total loss and abandoned whileT.140 was able to limp to safety.[2]Sorachi Maru was able to safely disembark its troops at Palompon and then withCH-17 andCh-37 as escorts, made it back to Manila on 3 December 1944.[3]Uzuki was dispatched to joinKiri andYuzuki with the damagedT.140 but was quickly spotted and torpedoed by thePT boatsPT-490 andPT-492.[3] While en route toManila,Yūzuki was attacked and sunk by American aircraft.[3]Kiri andT.140 made it toManila on 3 December 1944.[3]
On 28 April 1945,CH-17 while escortingNo.101-class landing shipT.146 in Tomei Harbor, west ofKyushu off theGotō Islands, she was spotted by the submarinesUSS Trepang andUSS Springer who were operating withUSS Raton.[1]Springer spotted the ships first but was unable to close.[1]Trepang was able to fire six torpedoes and scored a hit, sinkingT.146.[1]CH-17 counterattacked and dropped 14depth charges onTrepang who then retreated to deeper water.[1]Springer then fired three torpedoes and was able to crippleCH-17 before finishing her off with a final salvo.[1]CH-17 sank at32°25′N128°46′E / 32.417°N 128.767°E /32.417; 128.767.[1][4]CH-17 was struck from theNavy List on 25 May 1945.[1]
