The United States Navy’s South Dakota-class battleships are not as widely known as the Iowa-class, but they laid the foundation for more effective naval combat during World War Two. The South Dakota-class came after the North Carolina-class dreadnoughts that were built in the 1930s.
Don’t Be Fooled by the Smaller Size
Due to treaty restrictions, the South Dakota-class vessels were not as big and fast as the vaunted Iowa-class. However, designers and engineers incorporated good advancements into the South Dakota battleships, and the lessons learned from this class better informed the Navy when it was ready to build full-size battleships to challenge the enemy in World War Two.

USS South Dakota-Class. Image: Creative Commons.
Congress appropriated money for the South Dakota-class in 1939. The peacetime treaty limit of battleships was 35,000 long tons, so the South Dakota battleships were not going to be as big as other vessels that came later.
Four Vessels of the Class Were the Main Cogs of Carrier Battle Groups
There were four battleships of the South Dakota-class: USS Indiana, Massachusetts, Alabama, and the flagship USS South Dakota.
The first of the ships was commissioned in 1942, and the class served as carrier escorts in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters.
The Navy knew it wanted to improve on the two-ship North Carolina-class despite the limitations of the Second London Naval treaty.
Because of these restrictions, the South Dakota-class was not as big and powerful as the Iowa-class. However, designers and engineers wanted to incorporate changes that would make the South Dakotas superior to the North Carolina-class.
Guns, Armor, and Engines Were Improved
The South Dakotas would have better armor, improved engines, and more deck space. The South Dakota-class featured nine 16-inch/45 caliber Mark 6 guns in three-gun turrets. They were just one knot slower than the North Carolina-class.
Hard to Keep the USS South Dakota Out of Battle
The USS South Dakota arguably had the best service record of the family. It was a strong ship that began its career during the Guadalcanal campaign, shelling Japanese positions. Then, there was action during the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands. The South Dakota was unfortunately hit by a Japanese bomb, which destroyed the front turret, and then it collided with the USS Mahan. Despite this string of bad luck, the South Dakota was repaired and returned to duty.

USS South Dakota. Image: Creative Commons.
Then the South Dakota was shifted to Atlantic operations to take on the German Navy when the US ship teamed up with the British fleet. But by 1943, South Dakota was re-assigned to the Pacific. It helped the American forces during the island-hopping operations for the Gilberts and Marshalls landings. It was able to steam with aircraft carriers to provide protection for strike groups. Later, it served in the Marianas campaign in 1944, with service in Saipan and Tinian.
Bad luck struck again during the Battle of the Philippine Sea when it was hit by a Japanese bomb. It was repaired back in the States and remarkably joined the war yet again to protect aircraft carriers. It was in Tokyo Bay when the Japanese finally surrendered. USS South Dakota was decommissioned in 1947 and scrapped.
Specs of the South Dakota-Class
The South Dakota-class battleships were 666 feet long. The steam turbines had electric drive and pushed out 60,000 horsepower with a top speed of 23 knots. During the war, the Navy added more guns, increasing the displacement weight. Maneuverability enhancements improved on the North Carolinas.
The South Dakota-class guns fired Mark 8 armor piercing shells with a muzzle velocity of 2,300 feet per second. Each gun had 130 shells for a total of over 1,100 shells on board. Maximum range for the main guns was nearly 37,000 yards.

South Dakota-Class USS Alabama Battleship.
The South Dakotas enjoyed a “good war,” especially the lead ship. The battleships were smaller but provided many lessons learned from service that would inform the construction of the Iowa-class. Thus, they were “steppingstone” ships. Sailors were probably astounded that the South Dakota was hit by two Japanese bombs and still was able to serve throughout the war.
Tourists can now visit two of the South Dakota-class battleships. The USS Massachusetts is in Fall River, Massachusetts. Or there is the USS Alabama in Mobile.
The South Dakota-class was an under-rated group of warships made during a time of treaty limitations and were probably some of the best ships to come out of that period. The guns were powerful, and they saw ample combat service to go down as World War Two stalwarts.
Despite the smaller size, they made up for it with the ability to out-maneuver enemy ships and survive.
About the Author: Dr. Brent M. Eastwood
Brent M. Eastwood, PhD, is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare, plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for UUSSenator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former UUSArmy Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.
