SENSUIKAN!

© 2006-2015 Bob Hackett & Sander Kingsepp

1 August 1944:
Kobe. Laid down at Mitsubishi's Kobe Yard as a Sensuikan Yu Sho (Small Supply Submarine) No. 4609, (SS) Type.

10 January 1945:
Launched.

5 March 1945:
Lt Kurashina Yasusuke (68)(former torpedo officer of I-401) is appointed the Chief Equipping Officer.

10 March 1945:
Kobe. Completed and assigned to SubRon 11. Attached to Kure Naval District. Lt Kurashina is the CO.

20 March 1945:
Reassigned to the 10th Special Attack Unit tasked with the supply of "Koryu"class midget submarines. Lt Kunihiro Nobuharu (68)(former CO of HA-101) is appointed the new CO. HA-109 is converted to a midget submarine tender, carrying ten 450-mm (17.7-in) torpedoes in her cargo hold.

15 August 1945:
Matsuura, Saeki Bay. The Emperor Hirohito (Showa) broadcasts an Imperial Rescript that calls for an end to hostilities. Aboard HA-109, all secret documents are destroyed. A part of fuel and food is distributed to the local fishermen.

Late August 1945:
Departs Saeki for Kure, arriving on the 24th. En route, all torpedoes and ammunition are dumped overboard. A skeleton crew of 8 sailors remains aboard including the CO.

2 September 1945:
Kure. HA-109 is surrendered to the Allies.

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

November 1945:
HA-109 is ordered to proceed through mine-infested waters to Sasebo.

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. Scuttled by the USN 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.

– Bob Hackett and Sander Kingsepp.

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