USS South Dakota (BB-57) - "Battleship X"

USS South Dakota (BB-57), 1942-1962
USS South Dakota, lead ship of a class of 35,000-ton battleships, was built at Camden, New Jersey. She was commissioned in March 1942 and in August was transferred to the Pacific where she was soon involved in the Guadalcanal Campaign. On 26 October1942, her anti-aircraft guns played a prominent role in the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, during which her forward sixteen-inch gun turret was hit by a Japanese bomb. Shortly thereafter, she collided with USS Mahan (DD-364). Damage from these incidents was repaired locally, and she was heavily engaged, and damaged again, during the 14-15 November battleship night action off Guadalcanal, a battle that effectively ended Japan's plans to retake that strategic island.
Following repairs in the United States, South Dakota operated in the Atlantic from February into August 1943, including service with the British Home Fleet. She then returned to the Pacific and took part in the Gilberts and Marshalls invasions in November 1943-February 1944. The battleship operated with the fast carriers during raids on Japanese bases during that time and into the Spring of 1944. She next participated in the June 1944 Marianas Campaign, using her heavy guns to shell enemy positions on Saipan and Tinian. In the Battle of the Philippine Sea on 19 June, she was hit by another Japanese bomb.
Another stateside overhaul prepared South Dakota for further Pacific combat operations. From October 1944 to the end of World War II over ten months later, she screened carrier task forces during strikes in the Western Pacific that ranged from the South China Sea to Japan. The invasions of Leyte, Luzon, Iwo Jima and Okinawa were among these operations. In March and April 1945, South Dakota's guns joined in bombarding Okinawa. She shelled targets in the Japanese Home Islands in July and August, during the final acts of the Pacific War, and was present in Tokyo Bay on 2 September 1945 during the Formal Surrender of Japan. South Dakota returned to the United States soon thereafter and was decommissioned in January 1947. She remained inactive until October 1962, when she was sold for scrapping.
Source: www.history.nav...

[@sodakrailroadproductions8561]

Named after my home state!

[@lolguytiger45]

My Grandfather served in the Marine Detachment on this glorious ship, what an honor.

[@MusicNinja12345]

My grandpa was on this ship too as a ship fitter. Wish i couldve met the guy he died before i was born

[@vgrg7841]

Impressive looking battleship.

[@21699652]

My father worked at the New York Shipyard in Camden. NJ and helped build the USS South Dakota. He was s proud to have a part in the construction of Battleship X. This video brought back many memories of him for me!

[@Spiritpup5]

The picture at.22 seconds--If you look close, there is a ship with a bent hull. It is the USS Mahan DD364.. It and the South Dakota collided during the battle of Santa Cruz Islands. My father served aboard The Mahan

[@andihanhajong6377]

yea dats mahan dd364 n looked like Texas BB 33

[@CrazyPalidin57]

@0:22

[@jamesgroccia644]

It’s a damn shame the strongest shield had to go to sleep with the cutters

[@lolguytiger45]

Granddad told a story about being assigned clean up duty for the aftermath of a Japanese bomb that hit an anti-aircraft turret onboard, gnarly stuff. Also how the crew would swim for fun overboard and shoot bailed out Japanese pilots. and have boxing matches onboard, this was a wild crew. Look up the crossing the equator ceremony.

[@adamcarter4297]

my grandfather fought on this ship during the war!

[@strippedupper5261]

Adam Carter my grandfather also served aboard her, he told me stories of hoisting powder bags onto an elevator

[@atomic962]

my grandfather also on the south dakota. what brave sailors we had and still do!

[@lolguytiger45]

Mine as well, he was a marine.

[@karellezala4485]

My dad served on Battleship X (BB-57) too 👋

[@thetman1097]

Lol the music Is from “The little crane that could”. Man I loved to play that game as a kid.

[@C1Soldy]

Me too

[@annajones336]

USS South Dakota BB 57 battleship South Dakota class battleship

[@lutherheggs]

A shame she was scrapped. South Dakota should have built her a Berth like we did for the Texas.

[@lytynwyx_lytychyn_justin]

USS Alabama is a South Dakota class battleship and is a museum ship today.

[@peterson7082]

+Justin Wood Same with the Massachusetts BB-59. However South Dakota was different, her amidships 5" L/38 Mk 32 twin gun turrets on both sides were removed for 40mm Bofors.

[@lytynwyx_lytychyn_justin]

Nathan Peterson Didn't know that.

[@calvincanada4723]

I think you already know this, but south dakota is land locked lol

[@danflom1271]

South Dakota wanted the ship but we couldn't bring her up the Missouri river.

[@brandnazvi9354]

whats the name of this song called?

[@ussmissouribb-6378]

I am upset that she was called Battleship X

[@timsindt5245]

Me too. At Guadalcanal, the Washington and So.DAK ran into the Kirishima. S. Dakota’s main electrics failed after the 1st hit, completely disabling the ship, so Battleship X was being dismantled by Kirishima and would have been SUNK had not Washington destroyed Kirishima. There should have been a board of inquiry and Court-martials convened instead of making a total failure into a “ miracle” the miracle was Washington

[@Animeharshitshorts]

Montana is a ship of American battleship

[@dannyedmonds227]

very poorly lead ship, if the Washington wasn't there the old ww1 crate the inn krishima would have sunk her surely.

[@gregorytoews8316]

Very possible. During the engagement with Kirishima, South Dakota's electrical supervisors (against Navy policy) configured the circuit breakers in a way that caused an otherwise minor shell hit to cause serious, widespread electrical outages, that in turn made her largely useless for some minutes, including losing communication with flagship Washington. This, combined with not following Washington in a crucial course change during the battle, brought her into visibility to the Japanese ships, which then really shot up her superstructure. Ironically, her primary contribution to the battle may have been to draw attention to herself such that Washington could destroy the Kirishima on her own. Admiral Lee and his staff, onboard Washington during this engagement, were not impressed with South Dakota's performance.

[@soviet_union1936]

No it wouldn't. Kirihima had 8 13 inch guns south dakota had 9 16inch guns

[@andihanhajong6377]

Arkansas can defeat her easily with 60 Cal shells of main gun and secondary guns ....XD

[@ujjwalranjan2536]

Ohh u know everything this cannot happen

[@reymiguelperez6643]

USS Arkansas has 6 main turrets more than the USS South Dakota's 3 but that is all about it. USS South Dakota's 16 inch guns are way more powerful. LOL

[@owenwoodall8234]

Yeah, problem is South Dakota is an all around better and newer battleship. Compare the 12 inch 50 caliber guns on a Wyoming class battleship to the 16 inch 45 caliber guns on the South Dakota class and North Carolina class. The guns from South Dakota had a range of 35,000 yards to the 23,900 yards of the Arkansas. An AP shell on the Wyoming weighted 870 pounds to the 2700 AP shell from South Dakota. South Dakota could do 27/28 knots to the 20 knots of the Wyoming class. It is not even fair fight between Arkansas and South Dakota.

[@jimbosc]

R - Kansas would have gotten blown out of the water before landing salvo anywhere close to South Dakota - especially with BB-X's fire control RADAR.