SENSUIKAN!
HIJMS Submarine I-123: Tabular Record of
Movement
© 2001-2002 Bob Hackett & Sander Kingsepp
Revision 1
28 April 1928:
Completed at Kawasaki's Kobe Yard, commissioned in the IJN as the SS-50 and based in the Yokosuka Naval District.
1 June 1938:
Renumbered as the I-123.
1 May 1941:
The I-123 is based at Yokosuka with the I-124 in Cdr Endo Keiyu's SubDiv 9 of Rear Admiral Kono Chimaki's SubRon 6, Third Fleet.
November 1941:
The I-123 is in the Third Fleet under Rear Admiral Kono Chimaki's SubRon 6 in Cdr Endo Keiyu's SubDiv 9. LtCdr Ueno Toshitake is the I-123's Commanding Officer. Departs Yokosuka for Samah, Hainan Island, China.
1 December 1941:
The I-123 and the I-124 depart Samah for the Philippines.
2 December 1941:
The coded signal "Niitakayama nobore (Climb Mt. Niitaka) 1208" is received from the Combined Fleet. It signifies that hostilities will commence on 8 December (Japan time). Mt. Niitaka, located in Formosa (now Taiwan), is then the highest point in the Japanese Empire.
6 December 1941: Operation "M":
Vice Admiral Takahashi Ibo's (former CO of KIRISHIMA) Third Fleet, Southern Force, Philippines Seizure Force departs Palau.
8 December 1941:
The I-123 lays 40 mines in the Balabac Strait, Philippines. A defect in her hull causes the I-123 to head for her base at Camranh Bay, Occupied French Indochina for repairs.
10 December 1941:
Arrives at Camranh.
11 December 1941:
Vice Admiral Takahashi's force makes invasion landings at Legaspi, then Davao (19-20 December) and Jolo (24 December).
18 December 1941:
Departs Camranh. Sails through the South China Sea and transits the Karimata Strait into the Java Sea.
23 December 1941:
Lays mines at the northern entrance of Surabaya harbor, Java.
31 December 1941:
Arrives at Davao, Philippines. There she is joined by SubRon 6's flagship, the 6,600-ton submarine tender CHOGEI and the I-121 and I-124.
5 January 1942:
SubRon 6's I-121, -122, -123 and the I-124 operational area is in the Flores Sea and the Torres Strait N of Australia. SubRon 6 departs Davao to reconnoiter the Port Darwin area, northern Australia.
9 January 1942: Operation "H" - The Invasion of the Celebes:
Vice Admiral Takahashi's Netherlands East Indies Force lands invasion forces on Mendado and Kema (11 January), Kendari (24 January), Ambon (30 January) and Makassar (9 February).
14 January 1942:
The I-124 sights the USS HOUSTON (CA-30) and two destroyers but is unable to gain an attack position. The I-124 and the I-123 track them towards Port Darwin, Australia.
27 January 1942:
Off Port Darwin, Australia. The I-123 lays 30 mines in the Dundas Strait off Cape Don on the Coburg Peninsula. Her mission is to observe merchant vessels and warships and to sever trade routes. Departs Australia for the Celebes, NEI.
4 February 1942:
Arrives at Davao on Mindano. After the loss of the I-124, SubRon 6's I-121 and the I-122 arrived there on 30 January. All three submarines are serviced by the tender CHOGEI.
19 February 1942:
SubRon 6's operational area is in the Flores Sea and the Torres Strait N of Australia. Departs Davao.
25 February 1942:
The I-123 arrives on station and replaces the I-122 that departs the area for Staring Bay, Celebes. That night, the I-123 lays 40 mines in the Torres Strait, 80 miles W of Booby Island.
5 March 1942:
The I-123 departs her station.
8 March 1942:
Arrives at Staring Bay, Celebes without contacting any enemy ships.
9 March 1942:
The I-123, I-121, I-122 and the submarine tender CHOGEI depart Staring Bay for Japan.
16 March 1942:
Vice Admiral, the Marquis, Komatsu Teruhisa (former CO of CA NACHI) assumes command of the Sixth Fleet (Submarines).
25 March 1942:
Arrives at Yokosuka for overhaul and repairs.
April 1942: Operation "K-2": Flying Boat Reconnaissance of Pearl Harbor:
The I-123 is in SubRon 3's SubDiv 13 with the I-121 and the I-122 in Vice Admiral Komatsu's Advance Expeditionary Force (Sixth Fleet). SubDiv 13 is assigned to carry gas and oil to Lisianski Island and to French Frigate Shoal, Hawaii. The K-2 operation plan calls for two H8K "Emily" flying boats to refuel at the Shoals and then reconnoiter the naval base at Pearl Harbor prior to the Midway Invasion.
May 1942:
SubDiv 13 completes repairs and departs Yokosuka.
20 May 1942:
SubDiv 13 arrives at Kwajalein.
26 May 1942: Operation "MI": The Battle of Midway:
The I-121 arrives at the Shoal. Her CO, LtCdr Fujimori, observes an enemy seaplane tender in the lagoon as well as patrol planes in the area. That night, Fujimori surfaces and radios his sightings to the Sixth Fleet at Kwajalein. The Pearl Harbor reconnaissance operation is cancelled. Thereafter, the I-123, I-121, I-122 are ordered to patrol the area of Laysan Island and French Frigate Shoal.
4 June 1942:
The I-123, I-121, I-122 begin patrolling off the Hawaiian Islands, then return to Yokosuka.
14 July 1942:
At Yokosuka undergoing repairs. The I-123 is reassigned to the Eighth Fleet in Rear Admiral Yoshitomi's Setsuzo's SubRon 7, under Captain Miyazaki Takeji's SubDiv 13 with the I-121 and the I-122 based at Rabaul.
26 July 1942:
Departs Yokosuka under LtCdr Nakai Makoto. LtCdr Ueno is later reassigned as CO of the I-4.
2 August 1942:
Arrives at Truk.
4 August 1942:
Arrives at Rabaul.
7 August 1942: American Operation "Watchtower" - The Invasion of Guadalcanal, British Solomon Islands:
Rear Admiral (later Admiral) Richmond K. Turner's Amphibious Task Force 62, covered by Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Frank J. Fletcher's Task Force 61 and Rear Admiral (later Admiral) John S. McCain's Task Force 63's land-based aircraft, lands Maj Gen (later Gen/Commandant) Alexander A. Vandegrift's 1st Marine Division on Florida, Tulagi, Gavutu, Tanambogo and Guadalcanal opening a seven-month campaign to take the island.
That day, the I-123 departs Rabaul to shell Guadalcanal and reconnoiter the Lunga Point anchorage.
11 August 1943:
Arrives at Savo Island, off Guadalcanal.
23 August 1942: Operation "KA": The Destruction of the American Fleet and the Recapture of Guadalcanal:
Vice Admiral Kondo Nobutake's (former CO of KONGO) Second Fleet, Advanced Force: CruDiv's 4 and 5, CarDiv 11's seaplane tender CHITOSE, DesRon 4: light cruiser YURA and nine destroyers arrive off Truk from Japan. Kondo joins Vice Admiral Nagumo Chuichi's Third Fleet, Main Body: CarDiv 1's SHOKAKU, ZUIKAKU, CarDiv 2's RYUJO, BatDiv 11, CruDiv 7 and 8 and Desron 10: light cruiser NAGARA and destroyers for operations in the Solomons.
24 August 1942: The Battle of the Eastern Solomons:
Vice Admiral Frank J. Fletcher's Task Force 61: USS SARATOGA (CV-3) and the ENTERPRISE (CV-6) launches aircraft that find and sink the light carrier RYUJO. In turn, the SHOKAKU and the ZUIKAKU launch aircraft that find and damage the ENTERPRISE. That evening, aircraft from the SARATOGA damage the CHITOSE.
29 August 1942:
The I-123 sends a distress signal that she is being followed by enemy aircraft. Later that morning, lookouts on the USS GAMBLE (DM-15), headed to Guadalcanal, spot a large enemy submarine. Although designated a destroyer-minelayer, the old four-piper still carries antisubmarine gear. After several depth charge attacks, the GAMBLE runs through large oil slicks. Her crew finds deck planking and sees a large air bubble break the surface. The I-123 is sunk about 60 miles E of Savo Island at 09-21S, 160-43E.
1 September 1942:
Presumed lost with all hands off Guadalcanal.
5 October 1942:
Removed from the Navy List.
Authors' Note:
Special thanks for help in preparing this TROM go to Dr. Higuchi Tatsuhiro of Japan and Steve Eckardt of Australia. – Bob Hackett and Sander Kingsepp
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