SENSUIKAN!

© 2001-2016 Bob Hackett & Sander Kingsepp
Revision 6

1 November 1924:
Renumbered I-53.

5 August 1925:
Launched.

20 August 1926:
LtCdr (promoted Cdr 1 December; later Vice Admiral) Takasu Sanjiro (37)(former CO of RO-55) is appointed the Chief Equipping Officer (CEO).

30 March 1927:
Kure Navy Yard. I-53 is completed and registered in the IJN. Attached to Kure Naval District. Cdr Takasu Sanjiro is the Commanding Officer.

5 September 1927:
Assigned to SubDiv 18 formed at Kure Naval District.

1 December 1927:
LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) Sato Tsutomu (40)(former CO of RO-26) is appointed the CO.

10 December 1928:
LtCdr (later Capt) Hirano Rokuzo (41)(former CO of RO-66) is appointed the CO.

1 December 1930:
LtCdr (later Cdr) Hayashi Seiryo (43)(former CO of I-60) is appointed the CO.

1 December 1931:
LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) Ishizaki Noboru (42)(former CO of I-56) is appointed the CO.

15 November 1932:
LtCdr (Rear Admiral, posthumously) Kato Yoshio (43) (former CO of I-62) is appointed the CO.

15 December 1934:
LtCdr (later Capt) Nanri Katsuji (48)(former CO of RO-61) is appointed the CO.

15 November 1935:
LtCdr (Rear Admiral, posthumously) Shimizu Taro (48) (former CO of RO-67) is appointed the CO.

27 February 1936:
32 miles SE of Daio Saki lighthouse, Honshu. At 1016, while proceeding to Sukumo Bay surfaced in limited visibility, I-53 experiences an engine failure and is rammed by I-56. Both boats receive minor damage.

1 December 1936:
LtCdr (later Captain) Mizohata Sadaichi (46)(former CO of I-123) is appointed the CO.

1 November 1937:
LtCdr (Rear Admiral, posthumously) Narahara Seigo (48) (current CO of I-54) is appointed the CO of I-53 as an additional duty.

1 December 1937:
LtCdr (Captain, posthumously) Sano Takao (50)(former CO of RO-28) is appointed the CO.

19 March 1938:
LtCdr (later Capt) Uno Otoji (52)(former CO of I-158) is appointed CO. [1].

30 July 1938:
LtCdr (Rear Admiral, posthumously) Ankyu Eitaro (50)(former CO of I-123) is appointed the CO.

20 November 1939:
LtCdr (Captain, posthumously) Irie Tatsushi (51)(former CO of RO-58) is appointed the CO.

31 January 1941:
LtCdr (later Cdr) Nakamura Shozo (54)(former CO of I-61) is appointed the CO.

November 1941:
1-53 is in Rear Admiral Yoshitomi Setsuzo's (39) SubRon 4 in Captain Kijima Moriji's SubDiv 18 with I-54 and I-55. LtCdr Nakamura Shozo is the Commanding Officer.

1 December 1941:
SubDiv 18 departs Samah, Hainan Island, China.

7 December 1941:
Operation "E"- The Invasion of Malaya: South China Sea. I-53 takes up a patrol position N of Anambas Island.

20 December 1941:
Arrives at Camranh Bay, Indochina.

29 December 1941:
Departs Camranh, but is damaged in heavy seas.

31 December 1941:
Returns to Camranh for repairs.

6 January 1941:
Departs Camranh to patrol NW of Java.

24 January 1941:
Arrives at Camranh.

7 February 1942:
Departs Camranh.

19 February 1942:
The Invasion of Java, Netherlands East Indies: Vice Admiral Takahashi Ibo's (36)(former CO of KIRISHIMA) NEI Eastern Force invades Bali.

20 February 1942:
I-53 transits the Lombok Strait, Java into the Indian Ocean.

27 February 1942:
25 miles SW of Banyuwangi, Java Sea, I-53 torpedoes and sinks the 913-ton Dutch auxiliary tanker BEN-2 (ex-MOESI), en route from Surabaya to Australia with a cargo of 5.9-inch artillery shells.

28 February 1942:
Indian Ocean, S of Tjilatjap, Java. I-53 torpedoes, shells and sinks 8,917-ton British armed freighter CITY OF MANCHESTER at 08-16S, 108-52E. Of 157 people on board, 3 are killed and 6 possibly taken prisoner. At 0507, the burning vessel is sighted by minesweepers USS WHIPPOORWILL (AM-35) and USS LARK (AM-21) which then rescue the survivors. The injured are transferred to gunboat USS TULSA (PG-22).

8 March 1942:
Arrives at Staring Bay, Celebes.

10 March 1942:
SubRon 4 is disbanded. SubDiv 18 is attached to Kure Guard Unit.

16 March 1942:
Departs Staring Bay.

25 March 1942:
Arrives at Kure. Used as a training vessel thereafter.

6 May 1942:
Iyo Nada Sea. I-53 is grazed by the submarine tender CHOGEI and receives minor damage. [2]

20 May 1942:
I-53 is renumbered I-153.

23 May 1942:
LtCdr (later Cdr) Izutsu Monshiro (57)(former CO of RO-68) is appointed the CO.

15 December 1942:
LtCdr (later Rear Admiral, JMSDF) Shimizu Tsuruzo (58)(former CEO of I-32) is appointed the CO.

5 January 1943:
Iyo Nada, Inland Sea. I-153 participates in the first stage of submarine camouflage pattern experiments (Gaigen Toshoku Jikken) conducted by the Naval Submarine School. She and I-156 display the traditional black camouflage scheme, applied to the upper hull and conning tower sides.

26 March-1 December 1943:
I-153 is designated the temporary flagship of SubDiv 18.

25 May 1943:
Lt (Cdr, posthumously) Wada Mutsuo (61)(former CO of RO-64) is appointed the CO.

25 June 1943:
LtCdr (Cdr, posthumously) Imoto Masayuki (58)(former CO of RO-67) is appointed the CO.

10 January 1944:
At Kure. Moored at the submarine school. Cdr (later Captain) Hori Takeo (former CO of I-32) is appointed the CO 'on-paper'. In a change-of-command swap, LtCdr Imoto is appointed CO of I-32.

31 January 1944:
At Kure. SubDiv 18 is deactivated. I-153 is placed in 4th reserve and transferred to Hirao Branch of the Otake Submarine School (Yamaguchi Prefecture) as a training hulk.

15 August 1945:
Laid up at Hirao.

30 November 1945:
I-153 is removed from the Navy List.

Early 1948:
Scrapped.