USS South Dakota (BB-57)

North Dakota and South Dakota both attained their admittance to the Union on 2 November 1889. South Dakota yielded the state’s place to North Dakota because of its position in alphabetical order, with South Dakota entering the Union as the 40th state.

The second South Dakota (BB-57) was laid down on 5 July 1939, by the New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, N.J.; launched on 7 June 1941; sponsored by Vera C. Bushfield, wife of Governor Harlan J. Bushfield of South Dakota; and commissioned at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Pa., on 20 March 1942, Capt. Thomas L. Gatch in command. Gatch proved a popular commanding officer with his crew. He was a natural leader. A devout Christian, Gatch often read the lessons during divine services, and recommended to his men to make their peace with God prior to going into action. Gatch studied the American Civil War, concluding that a number of the ships he investigated that emphasized ‘spit and polish’ performed poorly in battle, whereas a number of other ships that paid greater attention to realistic training achieved enviable combat records. The skipper thus directed his crew to focus upon the skills they required for battle, such as gunnery practice and damage control. The consequent (apparent) neglect of polishing brass and lack of cleanliness of certain areas on board South Dakota often offended newly-reported officers unfamiliar with Gatch’s demeanor, but the ship attained a high degree of efficiency under his command.

The design of South Dakota included the provision for her service as a division flagship. The Commandant, Fourth Naval District and Navy Yard, Philadelphia, placed the ship in commission, commencing at 1800 on 20 March 1942. The Washington High School band from Sioux Falls, S.D., played Anchors Aweigh and the Star Spangled Banner as the ship slid into the Delaware River. Tugs towed South Dakota across the river for the battleship’s fitting out at the Navy Yard.

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From the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, compiled by the Naval History and Heritage Command (South Dakota II (BB-57) Chapter 1). A work of the United States Government, in the public domain.