| South Dakota was laid down on 5 July 1939 at Camden, New
Jersey, by the New York Shipbuilding Corp.; launched on 7 June 1941; sponsored
by Mrs. Harlan J. Bushfield; and commissioned on 20 March 1942, Capt. Thomas
L. Gatch in command. |
| After fitting out at Philadelphia, South Dakota held shakedown
training from 3 June to 26 July. She stood out of Philadelphia Navy Yard
on 16 August and headed for Panama. The battleship transited the Panama Canal
on 21 August and set course for the Tonga Islands, arriving at Nukualofa,
Tongatabu, on 4 September. Two days later, she struck an uncharted coral
pinnacle in Lahai Passage and suffered extensive damage to her hull. On 12
September, the ship sailed for the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard and repairs. |
| South Dakota was ready for sea again on 12 October and
began training with Task Force (TF) 16 which was built around aircraft carrier
Enterprise (CV-6). The task force sortied from Pearl Harbor on 16
October to join TF 17, which was centered on carrier Hornet (CV-8),
northwest of Espiritu Santo. The rendezvous was made on the 24th; and the
combined force, not operating as TF 61 under Rear Admiral T. C. Kinkaid,
was ordered to make a sweep of the Santa Cruz Islands and then move southwest
to block any Japanese forces approaching Guadalcanal. |
| "Catalina" patrol bombers sighted a Japanese carrier force at
noon on the 25th, and TF 61 steamed northwest to intercept it. Early the
next morning, when all carrier forces were within striking range, a Japanese
snooper spotted the American force, triggering the Battle of Santa Cruz.
South Dakota and the Enterprise group were approximately 10
miles from the Hornet group when the air battle began. |
| The first enemy attack was concentrated against Hornet.
At 1045, South Dakota was operating near Enterprise to provide
protective fire from her numerous antiaircraft guns when their group was
attacked by dive bombers. Approximately an hour later, about 40 torpedo planes
struck at the two ships. A third aerial assault, made by dive bombers and
torpedo planes, came in at 1230. South Dakota sustained a 500-pound
bomb hit on top of her number one turret. When the action was broken off
that evening, the American forces retired toward Noumea, New Caledonia, with
the battleship credited with downing 26 enemy planes. |
| At 0414 on 30 October, while avoiding a submarine contact, South
Dakota and Mahan (DD-364) collided, causing damage to both ships.
Mahan's bow was turned to port and crumpled to frame 14, and a fire,
soon brought under control, started in her forward hold. Both ships continued
to Noumea where Vestal (AR-4) repaired South Dakota's collision
and battle damage. |
| On 11 November, South Dakota, as part of TF 16, sortied
from Noumea for Guadalcanal. On 13 November, she joined battleship
Washington
(BB-56) and destroyers Preston (DD-379), Walke (DD-418),
Benham (DD-397), and Gwin (DD-433) to form TF 64 under command
of Rear Admiral W. A. Lee. The next evening at 2330, the force was operating
50 miles southwest of Guadalcanal when Lee learned that an enemy convoy was
coming through the passage off Salvo sometime between 0030 and 0230. This
was Admiral Kondo's bombardment group consisting of battleship
Kirishima; heavy cruisers Takao and Atago; and a destroyer
screen. |
| Admiral Kondo's forces were divided into three sections: the the
bombardment group; a close screen of cruiser Nagara and six destroyers;
and a distant screen of cruiser Sendai and three destroyers in the
van of the other forces. A quarter moon assured good visibility. Three ships
were visually sighted from the bridge of South Dakota, range 18,100
yards. Washington fired on the leading ship, thought to be a battleship
or heavy cruiser; and, a minute later, South Dakota's main battery
opened on the ship nearest to her. Both initial salvos started fires on the
targets. South Dakota then fired on another target and continued firing
until it disappeared from her radar screen. Turret No. 3 -- firing over her
stern and demolishing her own planes in the process -- opened on another
target and continued firing until the target was thought to sink. Her secondary
batteries were firing at eight destroyers close to the shore of Salvo
Island. |
| A short lull followed after which radar plot showed four enemy
ships, just clear of the left tangent of Salvo, approaching from the
starboard bow; range 5,800 yards. Searchlights from the second ship in the
enemy column illuminated South Dakota. Washington opened with
her main battery on the leading, and largest, Japanese ship. South
Dakota's secondary batteries put out the lights; and she shifted all
batteries to bear on the third ship, believed to be a cruiser, which
soon gushed smoke. South Dakota, which had been under fire from at
least three of the ships, had taken 42 hits which caused considerable damage.
Her radio communications failed; radar plot was demolished; three fire control
radars were damaged; there was a fire in her foremast; and she had lost track
of Washington. As she was no longer receiving enemy fire and there
were no remaining targets, she withdrew; met Washington at a prearrange
rendezvous; and proceeded to Noumea. Of the American destroyers, only
Gwin returned to port. The other three had been severely damaged early
in the engagement, Walke and Preston were sunk. Benham
had part of her bow blown off by a torpedo and, while en route to Noumea
with the damaged Gwin as her escort, had to be abandoned. Gwin
then sank her by gunfire. On the enemy side, hits had been scored on
Takao and Atago; Kirishima and destroyer Ayanami,
severely damaged by gunfire, were abandoned and scuttled. |
| Prometheus (AR-3) repaired some of the damage inflicted
on South Dakota at Noumea, enabling the battleship to sail on the
25th for Tongatabu and thence for home. South Dakota arrived at New
York on 18 December 1942 for an overhaul and the completion of repairs to
her battle damage. She was back at sea on 25 February 1943 and, following
sea trials, operated with Ranger (CV-4) in the North Atlantic until
mid-April. |
| The battleship next operated with the British Home Fleet, based
at Scapa Flow, until 1 August when she returned to Norfolk. On 21 August,
South Dakota stood out of Norfolk en route to Efate Island, arriving
at Havannah Harbor on 14 September. She moved to Fiji on 7 November and sortied
from there four days later with Battleship Divisions (BatDiv) 8 and 9 in
support of Task Group (TG) 50.1, the Carrier Interceptor Group for Operation
"Galvanic," the Gilbert Islands assault. The carriers launched attacks against
Jaluit and Mili atolls, Marshall Islands, on 19 November, to Neutralize enemy
airfields there. The force then provided air support for the amphibious landings
on Makin and Tarawa, Gilbert Islands. |
| South Dakota, with five other battleships, formed another
task group on 6 December to bombard Nauru Island. A joint aerial attack and
shore bombardment severely damaged enemy shore installations and airfields
there. South Dakota retired to Efate on 12 December 1943 for upkeep
and rearming. Her next action occurred on 29 January 1944 when the carriers
launched attacks against Roi and Namur, Marshall Islands. The next day, the
battleship moved in to shell enemy positions on Roi and Namur and then rejoined
the carriers as they provided air support for the amphibious landings on
Kwajalein, Majuro, Roi, and Namur. |
| South Dakota departed the Marshall Islands on 12 February
with the Truk striking force which launched attacks against that Japanese
stronghold on 17 and 18 February.Six days later, she was in the screen for
the carriers which launched the first air attacks against the Marianas. The
force was under constant enemy air attack, and South Dakota splashed
four Japanese planes. She returned to Majuro form 26 February until 22 March
when she sailed with the fast carrier forces of the 5th Fleet. Air strikes
were delivered form 30 March until 1 April against Palau, Yap, Woleai and
Ulithi in the Western Caroline Islands. |
| South Dakota returned to Majuro on 6 April and sailed the
following week, again accompanying the fast carriers. On 21 April, strikes
were launched against Hollandia, New Guinea, and the following day against
Aitape, Tanahmerah, and Humboldt Bays to support the Army landings. On 29
and 30 april, the carriers, with South Dakota still in the screen,
returned to Truk and bombed that base. The next day, the battleship was part
of a surface bombardment group that shelled Ponape Island in the Carolinas.
She returned to Majuro for upkeep from 4 May to 5 June when she got underway
with TF 58 to participate in Operation "Forager," the landings on Saipan
and Tinian. The carriers began launching attacks on the 11th against enemy
installations throughout the islands. On the 13th, South Dakota and
six other battleships were detached from the fast carrier groups to bombard
Saipan and Tinian. South Dakota shelled the northwest coast of Tanapag
Harbor, Saipan, for over six hours with both her primary and secondary
batteries. |
| On the evening of the 15th, 8 to 12 enemy fighters and bombers
broke through the combat air patrol and attacked the task group. South
Dakota fired at four and splashed one; and the remaining 11 were shot
dow by fire from other ships. On 19 June, the battleship was again operating
with the fast carriers. It was known that a major Japanese force was approaching
from the west, and the American capital ships were placed so that they could
continue to support the ground forces on Saipan and also intercept this enemy
force. |
| At 1012, a large group of bogies was reported coming in form the
west. At 1049, a "Judy" dropped a 500-pound bomb on South Dakota's
main deck where it blew a large hole, cut wiring and piping, but inflicted
no other serious material damage. However, personnel losses were heavy: 24
killed and 27 wounded. The ship continued to fight throughout the day as
air attacks were continuous. This was the first day of the Battle of the
Philippine Sea and was called the "marianas Turkey Shoot" as the Japanese
lost over 300 aircraft. The air battle continued throughout the 20th. When
it ended, the badly mauled Japanese fleet no longer posed a threat to the
American conquest of the marianas. The task group returned to Ulithi on 27
June, and South Dakota sailed via Pearl Harbor to the west coast,
arriving at Puget Sound on 10 July. |
| The battleship was overhauled at the navy yard there; and, after
sea trials, sailed on 26 August for Pearl Harbor. South Dakota was
routed to Ulithi and, upon her arrival, was attached to TG 38.3; one of four
task groups that formed Task Force 38, the Fast Carrier Task Force. The task
force sortied on 6 October and, four days later, launched air attacks against
Okinawa. On the 12th and 13th, attacks were flown against shipping and
installations in Formosa. Three of the groups, including South Dakota's,
retired and operated east of the Philippine Islands until 24 December. During
the operation, carriers of the group flew strikes against targets on Manila
and Luzon to support the landings on Mindoro. From 30 December 1944 through
26 January 1945, the fast carriers alternated strikes between Formosa on
3, 4, 9, 15 and 21 January; Luzon on the 6th and 7th; Cape San Jacques and
Camranh Bay on the 12th; Hong Kong and Hainan on the 16th; and against Okinawa
on 22 January. |
| South Dakota operated with the fast carriers in their strikes
against the Tokyo area on 17 February and against Iwo Jima on the 19th and
20th in support of amphibious landings there. Tokyo again was the target
on the 25th, and Okinawa's turn came on 1 March. After rearming at Ulithi,
the task groups sailed toward Japan again and pounded targets in the Kobe,
Kure and Kyushu areas on 18 and 19 March. They launched strikes against Okinawa
on the 23rd; and on the 24th, the battleship joined a bombardment group which
shelled southeastern Okinawa. She rejoined her task group which, after bombing
Okinawa, struck enemy airfields in souther Kyushu on the 29th and then, form
31 March through 3 April, again pounded targets on Okinawa. On 7 April,k
all fast carriers launched attacks against an enemy fleet off southwest Kyushu,
sinking Japan's fast super battleship Yamato, two cruisers, and four
destroyers. |
| South Dakota once more participated in shore bombardment
on southern Okinawa on 19 April in support of an all-out offensive by the
XXIV Army Corps against enemy lines. |
| While rearming from Wrangell (ARE-12) on 6 May, a tank of 16-inch
high capacity powder exploded, causing a fire and exploding four more tanks.
Turret No. 2 magazines were flooded and the fires put out. The ship lost
three men killed instantly; eight more died of injuries; and 24 others suffered
non-fatal wounds. The ship retired to Guam from 11 to 29 May when she sailed
for Leyte, arriving on 1 June. |
| South Dakota departed Leyte on 1 July, supporting the carriers
of TG 38.1 which attacked the Tokyo area on the 10th. On 14 July, as part
of a bombardment group, she participated in the shelling of the Kamaishi
Steel Works, Kamaishi, Honshu, Japan. This was the first gunfire attack on
the Japanese home islands by heavy warships. From 15 through 28 March, South
Dakota again supported the carriers as they launched strikes against
Honshu and Hokkaido. On the night of 29 and 30 July, she participated in
the shore bombardment of Hamamatsu, Honshu and, on the 9th, again shelled
Kamaishi. The battleship supported the carriers in strikes against northern
Honshu on 10 August, and in the Tokyo area on the 13th and 15th. The latter
was the last strike of the war for, later that day, Japan capitulated. |
| She anchored in Sagami Wan, Honshu, on 27 August and entered Tokyo
Bay on the 29th. South Dakota steamed out of Tokyo Bay on 20 September
and proceeded, via Okinawa and Pearl Harbor, to the west coast of the United
States. On 29 October, she moved down the cost from San Francisco to San
Pedro. She sailed from the west coast on 3 January 1946 for Philadelphia
and a yard overhaul. In June, she was attached to the Atlantic Reserve Fleet.
On 31 January 1947, she was placed in reserve, out of commission. The battleship
remained in that status until she was struck form the Navy list on 1 June
1962. On 25 October 1862, she was sold to Lipsett Division, Luria Bros. and
Co., Inc., for scrap. |
| Today, more than 1,000 miles from the oceans that floated
the "Coyote State's" powerful namesake, her spirit was fittingly preserved
in a manner un-excelled. The ship's lifelines are used to create the perimeter
of the battleship whose dimensions and contour are faithfully reproduced.
This is even more apparent from the air. As if by a "sea change", her main
turrets will take the form of three reflection pools of similar size and
shape, while smaller pools will represent two of her 5-inch, 38-caliber gun
mounts. In lieu of bridge and superstructure amidships will stand a museum
housing mementos from her gallant pacific years, when she was "Battleship
X", the ship the Japanese claimed to have sunk at least five times. |
| Attractive historical "coins" recalling South Dakota's
exploits were struck by the commission to aid construction of the remarkable
memorial. South Dakota's propellers are on display at the Washington,
D.C. Navy Yard and at the entrance to the Mariner's Museum, Newport News,
Virginia. |
|
|
|
Larry W. Jewell, Who's Who of United States
Battleships, (Internet publication), edition: 30 August, 1993.
buy
this book
