View source for Japanese submarine I-53 (1925)

{{other ships|Japanese submarine I-53}}
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{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image= I-55.jpg
| Ship caption=[[Sister ship]] {{ship|Japanese submarine|I-55|1925|2}} in harbor
}}
{{Infobox ship career
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| Ship country=[[Empire of Japan]]
| Ship flag= {{shipboxflag|Empire of Japan|naval}}
| Ship name= ''Submarine No. 64''
| Ship ordered=
| Ship awarded=
| Ship builder=[[Kure Naval Arsenal]], [[Kure, Hiroshima|Kure]],&nbsp;[[Japan]]
| Ship original cost=
| Ship yard number=
| Ship way number=
| Ship laid down=1 April 1924
| Ship renamed=''I-53'' on 1&nbsp;November&nbsp;1924
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Hide header=yes
| Ship launched=5 August 1925
| Ship sponsor=
| Ship christened=
| Ship completed=30 March 1927
| Ship commissioned=30 March 1927
| Ship renamed=''I-153'' on 20&nbsp;May&nbsp;1942 
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Hide header=yes
| Ship struck=
| Ship reclassified=
| Ship motto=
| Ship fate=
*[[Hulk (ship)|Hulked]] 31 January 1944
*Surrendered 1945
*Stricken 30 November 1945
*[[Scuttling|Scuttled]] 8&nbsp;May&nbsp;1946 or scrapped&nbsp;1948 (see&nbsp;text)
| Ship notes=
| Ship badge=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header=
| Header caption=
|Ship class={{sclass2|Kaidai|submarine}} (KD3A Type)
|Ship displacement=*{{Cvt|1800|LT|t|0|disp=flip|lk=on}} (surfaced)
*{{Convert|2300|LT|t|0|disp=flip|abbr=on}} (submerged)
|Ship length={{convert|100|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{convert|8|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship draft={{convert|4.82|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship power=*{{cvt|6800|bhp|0|lk=on}} (diesels)
*{{convert|1800|hp|0|abbr=on}} (electric motors)
|Ship propulsion=*2 shafts; [[Diesel-electric]]
*2 × [[diesel engine]]s
*2 × [[electric motor]]s
|Ship speed=*{{convert|20|kn|lk=in}} (surfaced)
*{{convert|8|kn}} (submerged)
|Ship range=*{{convert|10000|nmi|abbr=on|lk=in}} at {{convert|10|kn}} (surfaced)
*{{convert|90|nmi|abbr=on}} at {{convert|3|kn}} (submerged)
|Ship endurance=
|Ship test depth={{convert|60|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
|Ship complement=60
|Ship armament=*8 × {{convert|533|mm|in|0|abbr=on}} [[torpedo tube]]s (6 bow, 2 stern)
*1 × [[12 cm 11th Year Type naval gun|{{convert|120|mm|in|abbr=on}}]] [[deck gun]]
}}
|}
'''''I-53''''', later {{nihongo|'''''I-153'''''|伊号第五三潜水艦| I-gō Dai-Hyaku-gojūsan sensuikan}}, later '''''I-153''''' , was an [[Imperial Japanese Navy]] {{sclass2|Kaidai|submarine|0}} [[cruiser submarine]] of the KD3A [[ship class|sub-class]] commissioned in 1927. During [[World War II]], she supported Japanese forces during the [[Japanese invasion of Malaya|invasion of British Malaya]] in December 1941 and the [[Dutch East Indies campaign]] in early 1942. She served as a training submarine until she was [[Hulk (ship)|hulked]] in January 1944. She surrendered to the [[Allies of World War II|Allies]] at the end of the war in 1945. She was either [[Scuttling|scuttled]] in 1946 or scrapped in 1948.

==Background==
Following [[World War I]], the Imperial Japanese Navy re-evaluated the use of [[submarine warfare]] as an element of fleet strategy due to the successful deployment of long-range cruiser-submarines for [[commerce raiding]] by the major combatant navies. Japanese strategists came to realize possibilities for using submarines for long-range reconnaissance and in a [[war of attrition]] against an enemy fleet approaching [[Japan]].<ref name=Peatty>Peatty, pp. 212–14</ref> The Japanese already had built two large, long-range submarines — {{ship|Japanese submarine|I-51||2}} and {{ship|Japanese submarine|I-52|1923|2}} — under the [[Eight-eight fleet|Eight-six fleet program]] as prototypes when the arrival on 20 June 1919 of seven German [[U-boat]]s Japan received as war reparations after the end of World War I led to a complete re-design. The Japanese quickly hired hundreds of German submarine engineers, technicians, and former U-boat officers unemployed after the defeat of the [[German Empire]] in World War I, and brought them to Japan under five-year contracts. The [[United States Navy]]′s  [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] estimated that some 800 German advisors had gone to Japan by the end of 1920. The Japanese also sent delegations to [[Weimar Republic|postwar Germany]], and were active in purchasing many [[patent]]s.<ref name=Boyd>Boyd, pp. 17–18</ref>

==Design and description==
The submarines of the KD3A sub-class were the first mass-produced Japanese-designed [[fleet submarine]]s.<ref name=j5>Jentschura, Jung & Mickel, p. 170</ref> Based largely on the indigenous Kaidai Type II (of which one example, ''I-52'', was constructed) with a strengthened [[double hull]], their design was also influenced by the largest of the German submarines in Japanese hands, ''[[SM U-125|U-125]]''.<ref name=Stille>Stille, p. 4</ref>

They [[Displacement (ship)|displaced]] {{Convert|1800|LT|t|0|disp=flip|sp=us}} surfaced and {{Convert|2300|LT|t|0|disp=flip|sp=us}} submerged. The submarines were {{convert|100|m|ftin|sp=us}} long, had a [[Beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|8|m|ftin|sp=us}} and a [[Draft (hull)|draft]] of {{convert|4.82|m|ftin|sp=us}}. The submarines had a complement of 60 officers and crewmen.<ref name=cd3>Carpenter & Polmar, p. 93</ref> The [[Hull (ship)|hull]] had almost the same outer dimensions as ''I-52''′s, but the increased thickness of the inner hull permitted a diving depth of {{convert|60|m|ft|0}}. Internal volume was slightly increased by making the hull slightly [[trapezoid]]al in cross-section at the expense of 300 tons of additional displacement. External differences included an [[anti-submarine net]] [[Net cutter (submarine)|cutter]] on the [[Bow (ship)|bow]], as well as an O-ring for [[towing]] purposes.

[[Sulzer (manufacturer)|Sulzer]] was retained as the manufacturer for the [[diesel engine]]s, which had a slightly improved performance over the engines in ''I-52''.  For surface running, the submarines were powered by two {{convert|3400|bhp|lk=in|0|adj=on}} [[diesel engine]]s, each driving one [[propeller shaft]]. When the submarine was submerged, each propeller was driven by a {{convert|900|hp|0|adj=on}} [[electric motor]]. The submarines could reach {{convert|20|kn|lk=in}} on the surface and {{convert|8|kn}} submerged. On the surface, the KD3As had a range of {{convert|10000|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|10|kn}}; submerged, they had a range of {{convert|90|nmi|abbr=on}} at {{convert|3|kn}}.<ref name=c5>Chesneau, p. 198</ref>

The submarines had eight internal {{convert|53.3|cm|in|1|abbr=on|sp=us}} [[torpedo tube]]s, six in the bow and two in the [[stern]]. They carried one reload for each tube for a total of 16 [[torpedo]]es. They were also had one [[12 cm 11th Year Type naval gun|{{convert|120|mm|in|abbr=on}}]] [[deck gun]].<ref name=b4>Bagnasco, p. 183</ref>

==Construction and commissioning==
Built by the [[Kure Naval Arsenal]] in [[Kure, Hiroshima|Kure]], Japan, ''I-53'' was [[Keel-laying|laid down]] on 1 April 1924 as {{nihongo|'''''Submarine No. 64'''''|第六十四号潜水艦 |Dai-rokujūyon-gō sensuikan}} and renamed {{nihongo|'''''I-53'''''|伊号第五三号潜水艦 | I-gō Dai-gojūsan-gō sensuikan}} on 1 November 1924.<ref name=ijnsubsiteI153>[http://www.ijnsubsite.info/I-Sub%20Details/I-153.htm I-153 ijnsubsite.com September 19, 2018 Accessed 15 January 2022]</ref><ref name=combinedfleetI153>{{cite web |url= http://www.combinedfleet.com/I-153.htm |title=IJN Submarine I-153: Tabular Record of Movement |first1=Bob |last1=Hackett |first2=Sander |last2=Kingsepp |work=combinedfleet.com |date=April 1, 2016|access-date=15 January 2022}}</ref> She was [[Ship naming and launching|launched]] on 5 August 1925<ref name=ijnsubsiteI153/><ref name=combinedfleetI153/> and completed and [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] on 30 March 1927.<ref name=cd3/><ref name=ijnsubsiteI153/><ref name=combinedfleetI153/>

==Service history==
===Pre-World War II===
On the day of her commissioning, ''I-53'' was attached  to the [[Kure Naval District]].<ref name=combinedfleetI153/> On 5 May 1927, she was assigned to Submarine [[Division (naval)|Division]] 17 in Submarine [[Squadron (naval)|Squadron]] 2 in the [[2nd Fleet (Imperial Japanese Navy)|2nd Fleet]], a component of the [[Combined Fleet]].<ref name=ijnsubsiteI153/> On 5 September 1927, Submarine Division 18 was established as a new component of Submarine Squadron 2, and she was assigned to the new division.<ref name=ijnsubsiteI153/><ref name=combinedfleetI153/> On 1 December 1930, the division was reassigned to the Kure Defense Squadron in the Kure Naval District,<ref name=ijnsubsiteI153/> but on 1 December 1931 it began a new tour of duty in Submarine Squadron 2 in the 2nd Fleet.<ref name=ijnsubsiteI153/>

''I-53'' got underway from [[Sasebo]], Japan, on 29 June 1933 with the other submarines of her squadron — ''[[Japanese submarine I-54 (1926)|I-54]]'' and ''[[Japanese submarine I-155|I-55]]'' of Submarine Division 18 and Submarine Division 19′s ''[[Japanese submarine I-156|I-56]]'', ''[[Japanese submarine I-157|I-57]]'' and ''[[Japanese submarine I-158|I-58]]'' — for a training cruise off [[China]] and [[Magong|Mako]] in the [[Penghu|Pescadores Islands]], which the submarines concluded with their arrival at [[Kaohsiung|Takao]], [[Formosa]], on 5 July 1933.<ref name=ijnsubsiteI153/><ref name=ijnsubsiteI154>[http://www.ijnsubsite.info/I-Sub%20Details/I-154.htm I-154 ijnsubsite.com October 11, 2018 Accessed 15 January 2022]</ref><ref name=ijnsubsiteI155>[http://www.ijnsubsite.info/I-Sub%20Details/I-155.htm I-155 ijnsubsite.com June 10, 2018 Accessed 15 January 2022]</ref><ref name=ijnsubsiteI156>[http://www.ijnsubsite.info/I-Sub%20Details/I-156.htm I-156 ijnsubsite.com September, 2018 Accessed 15 January 2022]</ref><ref name=ijnsubsiteI157>[http://www.ijnsubsite.info/I-Sub%20Details/I-157.htm I-157 ijnsubsite.com October 16, 2018 Accessed 17 January 2022]</ref><ref name=ijnsubsiteI158>[http://www.ijnsubsite.info/I-Sub%20Details/I-158.htm I-158 ijnsubsite.com October 20, 2018 Accessed 17 January 2022]</ref> They departed Takao on 13 July 1933 and again trained in Chinese waters before arriving in [[Tokyo Bay]] on 21 August 1933.<ref name=ijnsubsiteI153/><ref name=ijnsubsiteI154/><ref name=ijnsubsiteI155/><ref name=ijnsubsiteI156/><ref name=ijnsubsiteI157/><ref name=ijnsubsiteI158/> On 25 August 1933, all six submarines took part in a [[Fleet Review (Japan)|fleet review]] at [[Yokohama]], Japan.<ref name=ijnsubsiteI153/><ref name=ijnsubsiteI154/><ref name=ijnsubsiteI155/><ref name=ijnsubsiteI156/><ref name=ijnsubsiteI157/><ref name=ijnsubsiteI158/> Submarine Division 18 was reassigned to the Kure Defense Division in the Kure Naval District on 15 November 1933<ref name=ijnsubsiteI153/> and to the Kure Guard Squadron in the Kure Naval District on 11 December 1933.<ref name=ijnsubsiteI153/>

On 1 February 1934, Submarine Division 18 returned to duty with Submarine Squadron 2 in the 2nd Fleet, and on 7 February 1935 ''I-53'' got underway from Sasebo along with the other eight submarines of Submarine Squadron 2 — ''I-54'', ''I-55'', ''[[Japanese submarine I-159|I-59]]'', {{ship|Japanese submarine|I-60||2}}, {{ship|Japanese submarine|I-61||2}}, ''[[Japanese submarine I-162|I-62]]'', {{ship|Japanese submarine|I-63||2}}, and {{ship|Japanese submarine|I-64||2}} — for a training cruise in the [[Kuril Islands]].<ref name=ijnsubsiteI153/><ref name=ijnsubsiteI154/><ref name=ijnsubsiteI155/><ref name=ijnsubsiteI159>[http://www.ijnsubsite.info/I-Sub%20Details/I-159.htm I-159 ijnsubsite.com October 27, 2018 Accessed 2 January 2021]</ref><ref name=ijnsubsiteI60>[http://www.ijnsubsite.info/I-Sub%20Details/I-60.htm I-60 ijnsubsite.com September 1, 2018 Accessed 15 January 2022]</ref><ref name=ijnsubsiteI61>[http://www.ijnsubsite.info/I-Sub%20Details/I-61.htm I-61 ijnsubsite.com August 24, 2018 Accessed 28 September 2020]</ref><ref name=ijnsubsiteI162>{{cite web |url= http://www.ijnsubsite.info/I-Sub%20Details/I-162.htm |title=I-162 ex I-62 |first1= |last1= |work=iijnsubsite.info |date=9 November 2018|accessdate=31 December 2021}}</ref><ref name=ijnsubsiteI63>[http://www.ijnsubsite.info/I-Sub%20Details/I-63.htm I-63 ijnsubsite.com August 24, 2018 Accessed 2 January 2021]</ref><ref name=ijnsubsiteI164>{{cite web |url= http://www.ijnsubsite.info/I-Sub%20Details/I-164.htm |title=I-164 ex I-64 |first1= |last1= |work=iijnsubsite.info |date=9 November 2018|accessdate=31 December 2021}}</ref> The cruise concluded with their arrival at [[Sukumo, Kōchi|Sukumo]] Bay on 25 February 1935.<ref name=ijnsubsiteI153/><ref name=ijnsubsiteI154/><ref name=ijnsubsiteI155/><ref name=ijnsubsiteI159/><ref name=ijnsubsiteI60/><ref name=ijnsubsiteI61/><ref name=ijnsubsiteI162/><ref name=ijnsubsiteI63/><ref name=ijnsubsiteI164/> The nine submarines departed Sasebo on 29 March 1935 to train in Chinese waters, returning to Sasebo on {{nowrap|4 April 1935}}.<ref name=ijnsubsiteI153/><ref name=ijnsubsiteI154/><ref name=ijnsubsiteI155/><ref name=ijnsubsiteI159/><ref name=ijnsubsiteI60/><ref name=ijnsubsiteI61/><ref name=ijnsubsiteI162/><ref name=ijnsubsiteI63/><ref name=ijnsubsiteI164/> On 15 November 1935, Submarine Division 18 was reassigned to Submarine Squadron 1 in the [[1st Fleet (Imperial Japanese Navy)|1st Fleet]], a component of the Combined Fleet.<ref name=ijnsubsiteI153/>

''I-53'' got underway for fleet exercises off [[Honshu]] on 1 February 1936.<ref name=ijnsubsiteI153/> She was operating on the surface in limited visibility in the [[Pacific Ocean]] off Honshu and proceeding toward Sukumo Bay on 27 February 1936 when she suffered an engine failure and ''I-56'' accidentally rammed her {{convert|32|nmi}} southeast of [[Daiosaki]] [[lighthouse]].<ref name=ijnsubsiteI153/><ref name=combinedfleetI153/> Both submarines suffered minor damage.<ref name=combinedfleetI153/> Again at sea for fleet exercises off [[Kyushu]] in May 1936, she again suffered damage in a collision, this time with ''I-55'' on 10 May 1936.<ref name=ijnsubsiteI153/><ref name=ijnsubsiteI155/>

On 15 November 1939, Submarine Division 18 was reassigned to Submarine Squadron 4 in the 1st Fleet.<ref name=ijnsubsiteI153/> On 11 October 1940, ''I-53'' was one of 98 Imperial Japanese Navy ships that gathered along with more than 500 aircraft on the Japanese coast at [[Yokohama Bay]] for an Imperial fleet review — the largest [[fleet review]] in Japanese history — in honor of the 2,600th anniversary of the enthronement of the [[Emperor Jimmu]], Japan's legendary first [[Emperor of Japan|emperor]].<ref name=ijnsubsiteI153/><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.combinedfleet.com/chitosesp_t.htm |title=IJN Seaplane Carrier CHITOSE: Tabular Record of Movement |first1=Athony |last1=Tully |work=combinedfleet.com |date=19 May 2014|access-date=11 December 2021}}</ref><ref name="jdf">{{cite news |title=2012 Fleet Review |url=https://www.mod.go.jp/e/jdf/pdf/jdf_no35.pdf |accessdate=October 8, 2019 |work=Japan Defense Focus |date=December 2012}}</ref> Submarine Squadron 4 was assigned directly to the Combined Fleet on 15 November 1940.<ref name=ijnsubsiteI153/>

As the Japanese armed forces mobilized for an offensive against [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] forces that would begin the [[Pacific War|Pacific campaign]] of [[World War II]], ''I-53'', ''I-54'', and ''I-55'' departed Kure, Japan, on 20 November 1941 bound for [[Sanya|Samah]] on China′s [[Hainan Island]], which they reached on 26 November 1941.<ref name=ijnsubsiteI153/> All three submarines departed Samah on 1 December 1941 to take up positions to support the offensive.<ref name=ijnsubsiteI153/><ref name=combinedfleetI153/> Tasked with supporting Operation E, the [[Japanese invasion of Malaya|Japanese invasion]] of [[British Malaya]], ''I-53'' arrived in her patrol area in the [[South China Sea]] north of the [[Anambas Islands]] on 7 December 1941.<ref name=combinedfleetI153/>

===World War II===
====First war patrol====
Hostilities began in [[East Asia]] on 8 December 1941 (7 December across the [[International Date Line]] in [[Hawaii]], where Japan began the war with its [[attack on Pearl Harbor]]). The Japanese invasion of British Malaya began that day. After an uneventful patrol, ''I-53'' arrived at [[Cam Ranh Bay]] in Japanese-occupied [[French Indochina]] on 20 December 1941.<ref name=combinedfleetI153/>

====Second war patrol====
On 29 December 1941, ''I-53'' departed Cam Ranh Bay in company with ''I-54'', both submarines beginning their second war patrols.<ref name=combinedfleetI153/><ref name=combinedfleetI154>{{cite web |url= http://www.combinedfleet.com/I-154.htm |title=IJN Submarine I-154: Tabular Record of Movement |first1=Bob |last1=Hackett |first2=Sander |last2=Kingsepp |work=combinedfleet.com |date=May 1, 2016|access-date=20 January 2022}}</ref> They both suffered damage in a heavy [[gale]] and had to return to Cam Ranh Bay Bay for repairs.<ref name=combinedfleetI153/><ref name=combinedfleetI154/> With them complete, ''I-53'' got underway from Cam Ranh Bay again on 6 January 1942 to begin the patrol, and operated northwest of [[Java]] in the [[Netherlands East Indies]].<ref name=combinedfleetI153/> After another quiet patrol, she returned to Cam Ranh Bay on 24 January 1942.<ref name=combinedfleetI153/>

====Third war patrol====
''I-53'' departed Cam Ranh Bay on 7 February 1942 in company with ''I-54'' to begin her third war patrol.<ref name=combinedfleetI153/><ref name=combinedfleetI154/> She transited the [[Lombok Strait]] on 20 February and entered the [[Indian Ocean]], where she [[torpedo]]ed and sank the Dutch 917-[[gross register ton]] auxiliary [[Tanker (ship)|tanker]] ''Ben 2'' – which was on a voyage from [[Surabaya]], Java, to Australia with a cargo of {{convert|150|mm|in|adj=on|sp=us}} artillery shells – {{convert|25|nmi}} southwest of [[Banyuwangi (city)|Banyuwangi]], Java, on 27 February.<ref name=combinedfleetI153/> On 28 February, she torpedoed the British 8,917-gross-register-ton armed [[cargo ship]] ''City of Manchester'' in the Indian Ocean south of [[Tjilatjap]], Java, at {{coord|08|16|S|108|52|E|name="''City of Manchester''}}, inflicting further damage on the ship with gunfire.<ref name=combinedfleetI153/> The burning ''City of Manchester'' soon sank.<ref name=combinedfleetI153/> Of the 157 people aboard ''City of Manchester'', three lost their lives and six went missing, possibly taken by the Japanese as [[Prisoner-of-war|prisoners of war]].<ref name=combinedfleetI153/> ''I-53'' completed her patrol on 8 March 1942, arriving at [[Staring-baai|Staring Bay]] on the coast of the [[Celebes]].<ref name=combinedfleetI153/>

====Training duties====
Submarine Squadron 4 was disbanded on 10 March 1942, and Submarine Division 18 was assigned to the Kure Guard Unit in the Kure Naval District in Japanese home waters.<ref name=ijnsubsiteI153/><ref name=combinedfleetI153/> ''I-53'', ''I-54'', and ''I-55'' departed Staring Bay on 16 March 1942 and arrived at Kure, Japan, on 25 March, where they assumed duties as [[training ship]]s.<ref name=combinedfleetI153/><ref name=combinedfleetI154/><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.combinedfleet.com/I-155.htm |title=IJN Submarine I-155: Tabular Record of Movement |first1=Bob |last1=Hackett |first2=Sander |last2=Kingsepp |work=combinedfleet.com |date=May 1, 2016|access-date=22 January 2022}}</ref> ''I-53'' suffered minor damage when the [[submarine tender]] {{ship|Japanese submarine tender|Chōgei||2}} grazed her in the Iyo Nada in the [[Seto Inland Sea]] on either 6 or 8 May 1942 (sources disagree on the date),<ref name=combinedfleetI153/> and on 20 May 1942 she was renumbered '''''I-153'''''.<ref name=combinedfleetI153/>

On 5 January 1943, ''I-153'' took part in a Naval Submarine School submarine camouflage experiment in the Seto Inland Sea in which she and the submarine {{Jsub|I-156||2}} had a black camouflage scheme applied to their upper hulls and [[conning tower]] sides.<ref name=combinedfleetI153/> From 26 March to 1 December 1943, she served as [[flagship]] of Submarine Division 18.<ref name=combinedfleetI153/> She exchanged [[commanding officer]]s with the submarine {{ship|Japanese submarine|I-32||2}} while moored at the submarine school at Kure on 10 January 1944.<ref name=combinedfleetI153/>

Submarine Division 18 was deactivated on 31 January 1944, and ''I-153'' was placed in fourth reserve and transferred to the [[Hirao]] Branch of the [[Ōtake, Hiroshima|Ōtake]] Submarine School to serve as a training [[Hulk (ship type)|hulk]].<ref name=combinedfleetI153/> She was laid up at Hirao on 15 August 1945, the day hostilities between Japan and the Allies ceased.<ref name=combinedfleetI153/>

==Disposal==
''I-153'' surrendered to the Allies after the war and was stricken from the [[Navy list]] on 30 November 1945.<ref name=combinedfleetI153/> Apparently, she was among several captured Japanese submarines sunk as gunnery targets by the [[Royal Australian Navy]] [[destroyer]] {{HMAS|Quiberon|G81|6}} and the [[Royal Indian Navy]] [[sloop-of-war|sloop]] {{HMIS|Sutlej|U95|6}} in the Inland Sea on 8 May 1946,<ref name="Ha-205">{{cite web |url= http://www.combinedfleet.com/HA-205.htm |title=IJN Submarine HA-205: Tabular Record of Movement |first1=Bob |last1=Hackett |first2=Sander |last2=Kingsepp |work=combinedfleet.com |year=2015|access-date=9 April 2016}}</ref><ref name="townsville10460510">[http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/62888338 Anonymous, "Remaining Jap Subs Sunk", ''Townsville Daily Bulletin'', May 10, 1946, p. 1]</ref><ref name="miner19460514">[http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/95537630 Anonymous, "Jap Submarines Demolition Convoy Caught in Gale", ''Kalgoorlie Miner'', May 14, 1946, p. 3]</ref> although some sources say she was scrapped in 1948 rather than sunk.<ref name=combinedfleetI153/>

==References==
===Footnotes===
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book|last=Bagnasco |first=Erminio |title=Submarines of World War Two |year=1977 |publisher=Naval Institute Press |location=Annapolis, Maryland |isbn=0-87021-962-6}} 
* {{cite book|last=Boyd|first=Carl|title=The Japanese Submarine Force in World War II|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=2002|isbn=1-55750-015-0 }}
*{{cite book|last1=Carpenter|first1=Dorr B.|last2=Polmar|first2=Norman|title=Submarines of the Imperial Japanese Navy 1904–1945|year=1986|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|location=London|isbn=0-85177-396-6|name-list-style=amp}}
*{{cite book|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946|editor1-last=Chesneau|editor1-first=Roger|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|location=Greenwich, UK|year=1980|isbn=0-85177-146-7}}
*{{cite web |url= http://www.combinedfleet.com/I-153.htm |title=IJN Submarine I-153: Tabular Record of Movement |first1=Bob |last1=Hackett |first2=Sander |last2=Kingsepp |work=combinedfleet.com |year=2013|access-date=6 November 2015}}
* {{cite book|last=Evans|first=David C.|title=Kaigun: Strategy, Tactics, and Technology in the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1887-1941|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=1997|isbn=0-87021-192-7}}
*{{cite book| last1 = Jentschura| first1 = Hansgeorg| first2 = Dieter |last2=Jung|first3=Peter |last3=Mickel| year = 1977| title = Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869&ndash;1945| publisher = United States Naval Institute| location = Annapolis, Maryland| isbn = 0-87021-893-X|name-list-style=amp}}
* {{cite book|last=Stille|first=Mark|title=Imperial Japanese Navy Submarines 1941-45|publisher=Osprey|year=2007|isbn=978-1846030901 }}

{{Kaidai type submarine}}
{{1936 shipwrecks}}
{{May 1942 shipwrecks}}
{{1946 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:I-53}}
[[Category:1925 ships]]
[[Category:Ships built by Kure Naval Arsenal]]
[[Category:World War II submarines of Japan]]
[[Category:Kaidai-class submarines]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1936]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in May 1942]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1946]]
[[Category:Ships sunk as targets]]