SENSUIKAN!

© 2006-2015 Bob Hackett & Sander Kingsepp

1 July 1944:
Tanagawa. Laid down and launched at Kawasaki's Senshu Works as Sensuikan Yu Sho (Small Supply Submarine) No. 4606, (SS) Type.

30 October 1944:
Launched and numbered HA-106

6 November 1944:
Lt Okakita Akimasa (69)(former CO of RO-67) is appointed Chief Equipping Officer.

15 December 1944:
Kobe. Completed and commissioned in the IJN. Assigned to SubRon 11. Attached to Kure Naval District. Lt Okakita is the Commanding Officer.

30 December 1944:
Directly attached to Grand Escort Command HQ. Participates in kaibokan crew ASW training in Inland Sea as the target vessel.

20 January 1945:
HA-106 conducts torpedo attack training with IJN 453rd Naval Air Group and light carrier HOSHO.

5 March 1945:
Attached to the Fifth Air Fleet HQ.

8 March 1945:
Departs Kanoya to perform lifeguard duty off Minami-Daito-Jima (South Borodino Island) in Operation TAN No. 2. HA-106 mission is to cruise off Minami Daito Jima to pick up ditched aircrews.

10 March 1945:
Reassigned to SubDiv 33 for training purposes.

11 March 1945:
Participates in Operation TAN No. 2. It is uncertain whether HA-106 rescued any downed IJNAF aviators, but she returns to Kanoya the same day, then returns to her station in the Minami-Daito Jima area for two more days.

13 March 1945:
Returns to Kanoya.

20 April 1945:
Lt Tateyama Takashi (71)(former navigating officer of RO-109) is appointed CO.

Commences conversion to a midget submarine tender.

August 1945:
Transferred to Ourazaki area near Kure. Commences preparations for a one-way sortie against the American fleet from Saeki, then proceeds to Kure.

2 September 1945:
Tokyo Bay. Formal surrender ceremonies, presided over by the Supreme Allied Commander Pacific, General of the Army Douglas MacArthur (MOH), are held aboard the USS MISSOURI (BB-63).

Kure. HA-106 is surrendered to the Allies.

September 1945:
The U.S. Fifth Marine Division occupies Sasebo.

2 November 1945:
HA-106 is assigned to Japanese Submarine Division Two under Cdr (later Captain) John P. Currie with HA-103, -105, -107, -108, HA-109 and HA-111.

November 1945:
Kure. HA-106 and all Japanese submarines at Kure are ordered to proceed to Sasebo, through mine-infested waters.

30 November 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.

26 March 1946:
Washington, DC. At a Submarine Officer's Conference, attended by former ComSubPac Vice Admiral Charles A. Lockwood, it is decided to dispose of all remaining captured Japanese submarines by sinking.

1 April 1946: Operation "Road's End":
Goto Islands near Sasebo. HA-106, secured to I-36, is scuttled by the USN at 1558 just beyond the 100-fathom line at 32-37N, 129-17E.

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Authors' Notes:
Special thanks for help in preparing this TROM go to Dr. Higuchi Tatsuhiro of Japan and Mr. Derek Waller of the UK.

– Bob Hackett and Sander Kingsepp.

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