SM UC-53

SM UC-53 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. Commissioned in 1916, she served primarily in the Flanders U-boat Flotilla and was responsible for laying mines in British waters.

UC-53 conducted numerous patrols throughout the war, laying mines that contributed to the sinking of merchant and naval vessels. These actions formed part of Germany's unrestricted submarine warfare campaign aimed at disrupting Allied shipping and starving Britain into submission.

In late 1917, under the command of Kapitänleutnant Hellmuth von Ruckteschell, UC-53 conducted a highly publicized raid on the American coast. She crossed the Atlantic and laid mines off the coast of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and later off the coast of the United States, near New York. These mines resulted in the sinking of several ships, including the USS San Diego, an armored cruiser, which sank off Fire Island, New York. This attack brought the reality of the war directly to the shores of North America.

After the war, UC-53 surrendered to the Allies. She was eventually scuttled off the coast of Ireland in 1921, in accordance with the terms of the armistice. Her career is notable for its contribution to the overall U-boat campaign and particularly for the daring raid on the American coastline.