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BB-49 SOUTH DAKOTA

Radio Call Sign: November - India - Sierra - Golf

South Dakota Class Battleship: Displacement: 43,200 tons. Dimensions: 684' (length overall); 106' (maximum beam). Powerplant: 60,000 horsepower steam turbines with electric drive, producing a 23 knot maximum speed. Armament (Main Battery): Twelve 16"/50 guns in four triple turrets. Armament (Secondary Battery): Sixteen 6"/53 guns in single mountings (eight guns on each side of the ship). 8 3"/50cal AA, 2 21 inch torpedo tubes (submerged). Armor: 8-13.5 inch belt, 3.5 inch deck, 4.5-13.5 inch barbettes, 5-18 inch turrets, 8-16 inch CT. Crew: 1191.

Operational and Building Data: From the DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN NAVAL FIGHTING SHIPS, Vol. I , p. 561. Laid down on 15 March 1920 by the New York Navy Yard. Although she was to be the name ship of a new class of six 43,200-ton battleships, her construction was suspended on 8 February 1922 in accordance with the provisions of the Washington Treaty limiting naval construction.
Her unfinished hull, 38.5% completed, was sold on 25 October 1923 for scrapping on the slipway to Steel Scrap Corp. of Philadelphia, Pa.; and her name was struck from the Navy list on 10 November 1923. Her scrapping was reported completed on 15 November 1923.

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Planning & Models

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For Full Size		 Size Image Description Source
Construction
1920 - 1922
BB-49 483k Our New Battleships & T-Boats Lead World's Navies
Vessels of the North Carolina class When Completed Will Put United States in Advance of Any Nation When Major Fighting Craft Are Considered---Fleet Submarines Under Construction Completely Overshadow Famous Deutschland in Size and Speed Besides Possessing Latest Marvels in Mechanical Equipment.		 Image and text provided by Connecticut State Library, Hartford, CT.
Photo from The Bridgeport Times and Evening Farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 31 May 1921, Image 12, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
BB-SD 1.39k America's Progress in Disarmament
Work Suspended on Nine Capital Ships, the Fleet Undermanned, the Army Reduced. United States Leads in Arms Limitation		Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
Photo from New-York Tribune. (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 12 November 1921, Image 12, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
BB-49 1.53k Secretary Hughes Delivering His Epoch-Making Disarmament Proposal
A general view of the first plenary session of the Conference for the Limitation of Armament in Washington last Saturday. The United States Secretary of State, as chairman of the meeting, is shown at the center of the table, reading his address.		Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
Photo from New-York Tribune. (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 15 November 1921, Image 2, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
South Dakota Class 252k Full-length portrait of Edwin Denby standing, inspecting a 16-inch, 50 caliber gun at the Naval Gun Factory, Washington, D.C. on 17 December 1921. Digital ID: # cph 3a42380, LC-USZ62-42057. Washington, D.C., 1922, v. 2, Herbert E. French, National Photo Company. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.
South Dakota Class 301k Navy Secretary Edwin Denby and staff touring Washington Navy Yard, inspecting large guns for battleships yet to be built on 17 December 1921. Digital ID: # cph 3b10973, LC-USZ62-63358. Washington, D.C., 1922, v. 2, Herbert E. French, National Photo Company. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.
South Dakota Class 564k 16-inch, 50 caliber gun under construction. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, courtesy of Tommy Trampp.
South Dakota Class 324k Scene in the Naval Gun Shop, Washington, D.C. 10 February 1922. 16-inch guns under construction. "Shop is idle today, employees numbering 1350 having been laid off yesterday." (Result of Naval Disarmament Treaty.) Digital ID: # cph 3b01777u, LC-USZ62-53813. Washington, D.C., 1922, v. 2, Herbert E. French, National Photo Company. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.
BB-49
014922f		 NR Arms Parley Stopped Work on This Battleship
This photograph shows the framework of the super dreadnaught South Dakota (BB-49), which was thirty-eight per cent completed when Secretary of the Navy Denby issued orders to stop work, in accordance with the agreements to scrap warships made at the Arms Parley. The South Dakota, and the Indiana (BB-50), were being built at the New York navy yard in Brooklyn. Just before this photograph was made hundreds of men were at work.		Image and text provided by University of North Texas; Denton, TX.
Photo by Brownsville Herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 20 February 1922, Image 2, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
BB-49
014947		 568k Looking forward from the top of turret 3 towards the bow. Undated photo shows the South Dakota (BB-49) in an earlier stage of construction, perhaps towards the end of 1921. Photo courtesy of Daniel Hacker.
BB-49
014938		 NR Video showing state of construction of the South Dakota (BB-49), Washington (BB-47) & Colorado (BB-45) at the New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden, New Jersey.
Worker walking across snow-covered deck of unfinished battleship South Dakota / ship under construction or construction halted / workers on ship / pan ship side, signs reading "Twin Screws Keep Clear of Propeller," can see Washington faintly above sign / pan down ship funnels, workers on deck levels / side view nearly finished Colorado, workers along railroad tracks / workers on deck of Colorado, big guns in fg / Note: exact day not known. 		Video courtesy of Daniel Hacker.
BB-49 South Dakota 587k View from aft looking forward of the South Dakota (BB-49) at the New York Navy Yard, 10 March 1922.
Note the canvas covered turrets. 		Photo # 19-N-9241, from NARA College Park, courtesy of Tracy White @ researcheratlarge.com
BB-49 South Dakota 228k View from bow looking aft of the South Dakota (BB-49) at the New York Navy Yard, 10 March 1922. Photo # 19-N-4132 from National Archives & Record Administration (NARA), Record Group (RG-19-LC, Box 22). Courtesy of Dan Treadwell.
BB-49 South Dakota 235k View from 3rd turret looking aft of the South Dakota (BB-49) at the New York Navy Yard, 10 March 1922. Photo # 19-N-4135 from National Archives & Record Administration (NARA), Record Group (RG-19-LC, Box 22). Courtesy of Dan Treadwell.
BB-49 South Dakota 229k Aft plan view of the South Dakota (BB-49) at the New York Navy Yard, 10 March 1922. Photo # 19-N-4131 from National Archives & Record Administration (NARA), Record Group (RG-19-LC, Box 22). Courtesy of Dan Treadwell.
BB-49
014936		 NR SCRAPPING UNCLE SAM'S BIG WARSHIPS
Admiral Charles P. Plunkett applying an acetylene torch to the steel on the South Dakota (BB-49), lying in the Brooklyn, N. Y., Navy Yard. The acetylene torch cut through the ship steel and heaviest armor-plate. It is by this means that the twenty-one naval vessels are to be eliminated in accordance with the Treaty Limiting Naval Armament.
Plunkett was also the Captain of the battleship North Dakota (BB-29) in 1910 & in 1913. 		Image and text provided by Rutgers University Libraries.
Photo by Perth Amboy Evening News. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 01 October 1923, FINAL EDITION, Image 10, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
BB-49
014935		 NR A Slice of Battleship
The good South Dakota (BB-49) went on the operating table at Brooklyn Navy Yards, in keeping with the Washington armament treaty. This shows a slice being taken from the "nose" of the ship. 		Image and text provided by Connecticut State Library, Hartford, CT.
Photo by New Britain Herald. [volume] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 04 December 1923, Image 9, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
Brooklyn
015006		 2.07k Brooklyn Navy Yard, 18 July 1924. Top, left to right: transport Agamennon (Id. No. 3004),(ex-German liner Kaiser Willhelm II), two destroyers, two auxiliaries, an Omaha class cruiser, and an Eagle boat. A submarine is visible in drydock. Middle: an Omaha class cruiser, West Virginia (BB-48), and three destroyers. Across the pier from the destroyers, partially obscured by the covered shipbuilding ways, is what appears to be the predreadnought battleship ex-Illinois (BB-7), undergoing conversion to a floating armory for the New York Naval Militia. On the slipways appear to be what remains of the cancelled battleships South Dakota (BB-49) and Indiana (BB-50).NARA photo from Record Group 18: Records of the Army Air Forces
Series: "Airscapes" of American and Foreign Areas
File Unit: New York - Docks-New York Harbor
Local ID: 18-AA-94-16
NAID: 68146206
Photo courtesy of catalog.archives.gov courtesy of Theodore Leverett.
BB-49
014939		 1.35k Sec. Wilbur, John Coolidge, and Admiral Hutchison at Washington Navy Yard, 8/1/24, pose near breech of gun that would have been used for the South Dakota (BB-49) class. Photo courtesy of Daniel Hacker.
South Dakota Class 329k
Oil on canvas painting by the artist Wayne Scarpaci showing a South Dakota class (BB-49 /54) battleship as it probable would have appeared circa 1938. The piece is entitled "Clearing St George's Light".		 Photo and text courtesy of artbywayne.com
BB-49 South Dakota 161k On display in East Willard Park, Washington Navy Yard, D.C., in October 1974. This gun is Number 111, built at the Washington Navy Yard in 1922 for planned installation on the abortive South Dakota class (BB-49 /54) battleships and Lexington (CC-1-6) class battle cruisers. Note railway trucks supporting the gun barrel. The two sixteen-inch projectiles displayed alongside the gun are inert shells fired by New Jersey (BB-62) into San Clemente Island, California, during shore bombardment practice in 1968. USN Historical Center # NH 81481.
BB-49 South Dakota 181k Sixteen-inch, 50 Caliber, Mark 2, Mod. 1 Gun Barrel On display in East Willard Park, Washington Navy Yard, D.C., in October 1974. This gun is Number 111, built at the Washington Navy Yard in 1922 for planned installation on the abortive South Dakota class (BB-49 /54) battleships and Lexington (CC-1-6) class battle cruisers. Note railway trucks supporting the gun barrel. The two sixteen-inch projectiles displayed alongside the gun are inert shells fired by New Jersey (BB-62) into San Clemente Island, California, during shore bombardment practice in 1968. USN Historical Center # NH 81482.
(NISMF)371kA guest studies a painting depicting the history of battleships. The artwork was painted by George Skybeck and presented to the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association during their annual banquet at Honolulu, Hawaii, on 8 December 1991. USN photo # DN-SC-92-05391, by PHC Carolyn Harris, courtesy of dodmedia.osd.mil, Defense Visual Information Center.
BB-49 SOUTH DAKOTA History
View This Vessels DANFS History Entry
(Located On The Hazegray & Underway Web Site, This Is The Main Archive For The DANFS Online Project.)
Crew Contact And Reunion Information
Not Applicable To This Ship.
Additional Resources
Hazegray & Underway Battleship Pages By Andrew Toppan.
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