SENSUIKAN!

© 2001-2003 Bob Hackett & Sander Kingsepp

31 March 1944:
The I-54 is completed at the Yokosuka Navy Yard, commissioned in the IJN and based in the Yokosuka Naval District. Assigned to Rear Admiral Ishizaki Noboru's (former CO of HYUGA) SubRon 11 in Vice Admiral (Admiral, posthumously) Takagi Takeo's (former CO of MUTSU) Sixth Fleet (Submarines). Cdr Ohashi Katsuo (former CO of I-181) is the Commanding Officer.

13 June 1944: Operation "A-GO" - The Defense of the Marianas:
In Tokyo, the CINC, Combined Fleet, Admiral Toyoda Soemu, (former CO of HYUGA), activates A-Go and orders Vice Admiral Takagi Takeo to redeploy his boats. From his headquarters on Saipan, Takagi orders all available submarines to deploy E of the Marianas.

15 June 1944: American Operation "Forager" - The Invasion of Saipan:
Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Richmond K. Turner's Task Force 52 lands Marine LtGen Holland M. Smith's V Amphibious Corps and the invasion begins.

Communications between Takagi's Advance Expeditionary Force (Sixth Fleet) are disrupted by the invasion. Command of the Sixth Fleet passes to Rear Admiral Owada Noboru (former CO of YAMASHIRO), ComSubRon 7 at Truk. He orders most of the Sixth Fleet's submarines to withdraw from the Marianas.

26 June 1944:
The I-54 is redirected to perform lifeguard duty with the I-26, -45 and the I-55.

6 July 1944:
Departs Yokosuka, towing a "unpoto" cannon carrier to Saipan.

9 July 1944:
Organized Japanese resistance ceases on Saipan. After Saipan falls, the I-53 is redirected to Tinian. The unpoto is washed overboard in high seas.

10 July 1944:
Reassigned to SubDiv 15, Sixth Fleet.

24 July 1944:
Returns to Yokosuka.

31 August 1944:
LtCdr Nakayama Denshichi (former CO of I-165) is assigned as the Commanding Officer. Cdr Ohashi is reassigned later as the CO of the giant new I-13.

13 October 1944: Operation "SHO-I-GO" - The Defense of the Philippines:
Admiral Toyoda Soemu (former CO of HYUGA), CINC, Combined Fleet, orders the SHO-I-GO plan activated.

The I-54 is assigned to Group "A" with the I-26, -45, -53 and the I-56 under direct the command of Vice Admiral Miwa Shigeyoshi's (former CO of KINU) Sixth Fleet.

15 October 1944:
Departs Kure to attack the carriers of Task Force 38 and the crippled USS HOUSTON (CL-81), but later is reassigned to patrol 120 miles E of the Philippines between the areas assigned to the I-38 and the I-46. Her ETA is 25 October.

18 October 1944:
Vice Admiral Miwa orders the I-54 and 12 other submarines to take up patrol station E of Leyte, Philippines

20 October 1944: American Operation "King Two" - The Invasion of Leyte, Philippines:
Admiral (later Fleet Admiral) William F. Halsey's Third Fleet of 738 ships including 18 aircraft carriers, six battleships, 17 cruisers, 64 destroyers and over 600 support ships land the Army's X Corps (24 th Infantry and 1st Cavalry Divisions) and the XXIV Corps (7th, 77th and 96th Infantry Divisions) that begin the campaign to retake Leyte.

LtCdr Nakayama acknowledges an order to change the I-54's station.

23 October 1944:
I-54 sends a message while en route to her new position. It is the last signal received from the I-54.

28 October 1944:
E of Leyte. Cdr S. K. Santmyers' USS HELM (DD-388) is part of the screen of Rear Ralph E. Admiral Davison's carrier Task Group 38.4 (USS ENTERPRISE (CV-6), FRANKLIN (CV-13), BELLEAU WOOD (CVL-24) and SAN JACINTO (CVL-30) that is engaged in direct support of ground operations on Leyte.

At 1228, the HELM and Cdr P. D. Quirk's USS GRIDLEY (DD-380) detect a submarine that is trying to penetrate TG 38.4's screen. As Davison's carriers clear the area, the two destroyers carry out depth charge attacks. At 1414, they sink the submarine - probably the I-54 - at 10-58N, 127-13E.*

20 November 1944:
Presumed lost with all 107 hands E of Leyte, Philippines.

10 March 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.

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Authors' Notes:
Some sources suggest that the I-54 was sunk on 24 Oct '44 by the USS RICHARD M. ROWELL (DE-403) while screening Task Group 77.4

Special thanks for help in preparing this TROM go to Dr. Higuchi Tatsuhiro of Japan. – Bob Hackett and Sander Kingsepp.

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