NMS Bucovina, named SMS Sava in Austro-Hungarian Navy service, was the lead ship of the Sava-class river monitors built by Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino of Linz between 1914 and 1915.

Serving with the Romanian Danube Flotilla in World War II, she ran aground near Ostrovul Ciocănești on 1 September 1944.

After the attack on 27/28 August, Sava and Temes (II) (Bosna) escorted the auxiliary ships to the Belene Island.

In September, Sava bombarded the port and railway station of Calafat along with Inn and several other patrol boats, capturing four barges in the engagement.

In October, Sava continued raiding other Romanian positions on the river, and helped clear out the Dinu Island in November.

Sava with the other Austro-Hungarian monitors were stationed in Turnu Severin and Budapest for the winter, returning to the front in March 1917.

On 22 October, Sava and the ships Barsch and Una were engaged by the French artillery which had reached Lom-Palank and Vidin.

Sava was moved to Belgrade for repairs, where she was taken by the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes on 31 December and placed in service with the name Soča.

[2] At the start of Romania's campaign of World War II, Bucovina together with Ardeal and one other monitor and two gunboats were organized in the Galați River Naval Force of the Romanian Danube Flotilla.

Their task was to protect the flank of Romanian Fourth Army and conduct counter-battery fire against the Soviet artillery and monitors located in Giurgiulești and Reni.

After the Soviet ships left the Chilia arm of the Danube, Bucovina was assigned to the Vâlcov Tactical Detachment until 1942, when she was brought to the Galați shipyard for repairs and upgrades.

After the upgrade works were completed, the ship returned to the Vâlcov Tactical Detachment and carried out the missions in rotations.

Moving to Hârșova after the King Michael's coup, the ship joined the 3rd River Group which consisted of monitors Ardeal, Lahovary [ro], and was led by Basarabia.

Unsuccessful in their attempts, the two ships departed for Călărași, leaving Bucovina and some Soviet officers and sailors who boarded her to continue the efforts alone.