Japanese submarine chaser CH-16

CH-16 was a No.13-class submarine chaser of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.

History
CH-16 was built by Nippon Kokan K. K. at their Tsurumi shipyard, laid down on 22 April 1940, launched on 19 November 1940, and completed and commissioned on 5 April 1941, and attached to the Yokosuka Naval District. She participated in the invasion of the Northern Philippines (Operation "M") in December 1941 where she was assigned to Sub Chaser Division 21 (SCD 21) led by Commodore Ota along with JAPANESE SUBMARINE CHASER CH-4, JAPANESE SUBMARINE CHASER CH-5, JAPANESE SUBMARINE CHASER CH-6, JAPANESE SUBMARINE CHASER CH-17, and JAPANESE SUBMARINE CHASER CH-18. SCD 21 was at the time assigned to Rear Admiral Hirose Sueto's 2nd Base Force under Vice Admiral Ibō Takahashi's Third Fleet. In May 1942, she participated in the Battle of Midway (Operation "MI") where she was assigned to Miyamoto Sadachika's 16th Minesweeper Unit (along with auxiliary minesweepers JAPANESE MINESWEEPER Tama Maru No. 3, JAPANESE MINESWEEPER Tama Maru No. 5, JAPANESE MINESWEEPER Showa Maru No. 7, JAPANESE MINESWEEPER Showa Maru No. 8; submarine chasers JAPANESE SUBMARINE CHASER CH-17, and JAPANESE SUBMARINE CHASER CH-18; cargo ships Meiyo Maru and JAPANESE TRANSPORT SHIP Yamafuku Maru; and auxiliary ammunition ship JAPANESE AMMUNITION SHIP Soya).

On 4 July 1944, CH-16 was attacked and sunk off the Bonin Islands near Chichi-jima (27.16667°N, 110.16667°W) by carrier-based aircraft from Rear Admiral Joseph J. Clark's Task Group 38.1 and Rear Admiral Ralph E. Davison's Task Group 38.4. CH-16 was struck from the Navy List on 10 September 1944.