HMS Chaser (D32/R306/A727) was an American-built Attacker-class escort carrier that served with the Royal Navy during the Second World War.

Chaser was laid down on 28 June 1941, under a Maritime Commission contract, MC hull 162, by Ingalls Shipbuilding, in Pascagoula, Mississippi, as Mormacgulf.

[3] The ship had complement of 646 men, who lived in crew accommodation that was significantly different from the arrangements that were normal for the Royal Navy at the time.

The separate messes no longer had to prepare their own food, as everything was cooked in the galley and served cafeteria style in a central dining area.

The traditional hammocks were replaced by three-tier bunk-beds, 18 to a cabin, which were hinged and could be tied up to provide extra space when not in use.

Power was provided by two boilers feeding steam to a turbine driving one shaft, giving 8,500 bhp (6,300 kW), which could propel the ship at 18 kn (33 km/h; 21 mph).

[11] The anti-submarine aircraft employed were initially the Fairey Swordfish and later the Grumman Avenger, which could be armed with torpedoes, depth charges, 250 lb (110 kg) bombs or RP-3 rocket projectiles.

[15] After workup in the Chesapeake Bay area, Chaser embarked 845 Squadron, which had been formed in the US, on 23 June 1943, for passage across the Atlantic.

[17] On 22 January 1944, Chaser joined Convoy JW 57, which had left Loch Ewe the previous day, for escort to the Kola Inlet.

[19] On 24 February, one of Chaser' Swordfishes spotted the submarine U-713 on the surface and called up the destroyer Keppel which sank the U-boat with depth charges.

The Swordfish spotted the submarine and attacked with rockets, sinking U973 at 70°04′N 5°48′E / 70.067°N 5.800°E / 70.067; 5.800 in the Norwegian Sea, northwest of Narvik, Norway.

She had her hull repaired and was refitted at Rosyth and was then modified for service as a ferry carrier with the Pacific Fleet at Belfast.

[16][27] On 14 February 1945, Chaser left Britain on the first part of the journey to join the British Pacific Fleet, arriving in Sydney in May 1945,[27] where she was attached to the 30th Aircraft Carrier Squadron.