Updated 07/18/07
Let us not forget those who are currently fighting
overseas. They walk in the footsteps of all the brave men and women who have
served their country. On behalf of the 2nd Generation Group, we thank each
of them and pray for their safe return.
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Welcome to another page of history from the
decks of the USS South Dakota. You've seen our photo album of the men who
kept this mighty ship going. Now join us for a look at photos and stories
that have not yet been told. We have provided links to many
documents that are an important part of this ship, her crew and World War
II. (Please use your BROWSERS
BACK BUTTON to return to this page)
DECEMBER 7, 1942 - DECEMBER
7, 2002
Parade commemorates the opening of the new Pacific
Theatre wing of the D-Day Museum
New Orleans, LA(Exerts and photos provided by Spalding Kenan Manson,
Jr.)
(Spalding is on the left side of the truck
in the white shirt)
I made a few inquiries regarding a float for this
parade and learned that they felt they couldn't identify any specific ships
or units...They advised that they were only going to identify the parade
trucks by either marines, Navy Army and Coast Guard.
I asked if they would mind it if I paid to have
a banner made that spelled out a specific ship name and if there would be
any objections to my hanging it from the side of the parade truck.
I had the banner made and had two young Marines
attach it over the side of the truck with the grommets that I had put in
the banner.....
I'm pretty certain I was the only one from the SODAK
in the whole parade, but half of our truck included other people from battleships
and they had no objection riding on a truck that looked like SODAK people.
There were 20 people to a truck and there were about 15 Navy trucks. The
fact that you saw the banner makes me feel that the effort was worth
it.
"I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR THIS GUY FOR 57
YEARS"
John F. Lock, MO. and Jack Iskin, CA are reunited
for the first time in 57 years. Sounds like any other ordinary story, right
? Not so. Jack has been looking for the guy who saved his life the night
of November 14, 1942 off Savo Island. John Lock, was looking for the guy
he carried on his back down
flight
decks to safety on that very same night.
John asked if the 2nd generation could help find this man. The article
was run in the newsletter, prompting Jack to place a call to John on September
17, 1999. After a lengthy conversation, they set a date for January 20th
to meet. When John and his wife stepped off the train from Missouri,
Jack and his wife were waiting. The San Diego Union-Tribune reporter and
photographer were with him.
To read more about the night at
SAVO ISLAND,
click on the link provided.
BB57 KEEL WAS LAID JULY 5,
1939
Six hundred and eighty feet long with a launching
displacement of 35,000 tons, the South Dakota was christened by Mrs. Harlan
J. Bushfield, the wife of South Dakota's governor. When the South Dakota
left Camden that day in June, she was taken to the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
to complete her fitting out.
She was fitted as a fleet flagship with offices
and an additional bridge level just below the navigation bridge. She carried
nine 16-inch guns, and 28 1.1 inch antiaircraft gun.
The ship's crew began to report as early as December,
1941. Under the leadership of Captain Thomas L. Gatch, the South Dakota was
put into commission on March 20,
1942.
IN THE SHIPYARD
One of the shipbuilders is Henry J. "Smokey" Schwanbeck.
He wasn't in the navy ( too young for WW1, too old for WW2 ) ... he was a
welder and worked on the keel and most of rest of the ship. The other ships
he worked on were all keel work but he was especially attached to the SD
because he worked on so much of it.
This photo of the christening of the ship was provided
by the Great Grandson of Henry Schwanbeck.
"S" DIVISION - STOREKEEPERS
SUPPLY DEPARTMENT
There were 150 storekeepers aboard the South Dakota.
Bob Ferguson and
L
t. Harold Manzy (pictured sent by Bob Ferguson, Niantic,
CT) were long time buddies. The ship was a city within itself. Although the
storekeepers job was to hand out supplies as needed, they each had other
duties to fullfill. (Battle Stations).
Bob's battle station was on the 40MM heavy machine guns up in the
superstructure, near the bridge. He was the only storekeeper topside during
General Quarters. 40MM Gun
Lt. Manzy was a Navy Chief Storekeeper aboard the South Dakota. At the time
this picture was taken, he was 88 years old and 100% blind. He had not been
out of the house in many years until Bob and his wife Val, came to visit.
Bob talked him into going to dinner with them. Both Bob and the Lt. enjoyed
reminiscing about their time aboard ship. Manzy and his wife were later buried
in a military cemetery in South Dakota. (He was stationed at the sub base
in New London when Ferguson was born.)
THE ART OF WINEMAKING
ABOARD THE SOUTH DAKOTA
Charles F. Skorpik remembers the good times aboard
ship. " We were thousand miles away from home with nothing to drink for Christmas
or New Years. So I got a buddy who worked in the Bake shop to save
me some cherry juice from the cherry pies. There was a keg of water
on the life raft across from the clipping room. I emptied the water and filled
it with cherry juicy and sugar and set it to work. For about a week I gathered
empty bottles from the mess hall - the cooks couldn't figure out what was
going on. One moonlit night, we divided the wine and I carried a gallon jug
from the main deck to the forward part of the ship. Shipmates hollered, '
hey Skorpik. What you got ? Booze? That's right, I answered. Sometimes
you can tell people the truth and they just don't believe you. One night
after lights out we were sitting around in the Machine Shop with a jar of
cherry juice. The door opened and in walked the Junior Division Officer.
'What are you drinking?', he wanted to know. "Cherry Juice". He asked for
a cup and we gave him one. "Where the hell did you get this ? he asked. "Sorry,
can't say. It's a military secret." "Well, when you have some more, let me
know." He could have made trouble for us, but didn't and that way we all
enjoyed it.
Charles was a member of the Board of Directors for the Veterans of
the USS South Dakota until his death, October 6, 1999. He served with "A"
Division and the 10th Division.
SOUTH DAKOTA BEGINS FIRST WAR
CRUISE
August 16, 1942
The BB57 transited the Panama Canal, August
21 
to
report to the Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Fleet and was assigned as
Flagship, Battleship Division Six, with Rear Admiral W.A. Lee, Jr., USN,
flying his flag from the ship.
The passage through the Panama Canal was marked
by much grinding and groaning, as the large battleship just made it through
the locks with little room to spare.
She arrived in the Tonga Islands September 4,
1942.
Just two days later, the South Dakota struck an uncharted coral pinnacle
in Lahai Passage. the incident caused extensive underwater damage to the
hull, calling for a trip to Pearl Harbor for repairs.
TOKYO
ROSE
Japanese-U.S. broadcaster. She was visiting Japan
when she was stranded at the outbreak of World War II. In 1943 she began
radio announcing for a propaganda program beamed at U.S. troops, and eventually
became one of 13 women announcers, all native speakers of Amer. English,
collectively known as Tokyo Rose. After the war she was convicted of treason
and served six years in a U.S. prison. Mitigating information later came
to light, and she was pardoned in
1977.
To learn about Tokyo Rose, click
on the picture. (This photo provided by Henry Stewart, radioman aboard
the BB57.)
SPORTS ABOARD
SHIP
Days aboard the USS South Dakota was not limited
to battles alone. There was time for rest and relaxation as well. This "floating
city" as it was known, had several sports teams. The South Dakota Baseball
Team played ball while in port and against good teams. winning 4 out of 5,
they were ready to take on any team in the Pacific.
"So Dak Boxers Swamp 53rd CB's in Smoker" was the
headline in the ships newspaper. The boxing team took on the 53rd Naval
Construction Battalion while in dry dock.
The South Dakota Basketball Team defeated the advanced
base section dock team 44 to 23. While in Tokyo Bay, they lost to the Ticonderoga
Basketball team, 45 to 35 on the deck of the carrier, witnessed by a crowd
of 1500.
Pacific fleet entering Tokyo bay, Mount Fujiyama silhouetted in setting
sun.
Notes Taken from the Ship's Log
Sunday, 26 August 1945
"Admiral Nimitz and eleven of his staff will arrive
in TOKYO BAY at 1255 Monday. It is expected that the South Dakota will have
entered the Bay and anchored off YOKOHAMA at the time. When Admiral Nimitz
comes aboard the BlueJacket full guard will be paraded, with the band and
eight side boys.Uniform for the foregoing personnel and the quarterdeck watch
will be undresswhites. Uniform for the officers and
CPO's remains greys or khaki."
Horsing
Around
This picture was sent in by James O. Johnson of
Marysville, WA. The 4th Division buddies spend time horsing around with a
stretcher. In the stretcher is McCormick(not injured just playing around).
Front left: Jim Johnson, top left: Hank Whitemore, top center: C.T. Franks,
right top: Geore Conway, right bottom: Paul Wissell. If you would like a
copy of this picture, contact Jim at: yarner1@juno.com
There was always time for fun. When the crew went
ashore for R&R (rest and & Relaxation), pictures like this were taken
to send back home. Dave Baltz and Gene Beachly
pose for the camera. Gene, if you're
out there, Dave would love to have a chat with you. Dave was
in the Fire Control Division as was Gene.
Photo taken September 1,
1944 in Honolulu, Hawaii
An explosion occurred
aboard ship on May 6, 1945 while taking on 16-inch powder at the time.
Three men died instantly, eight more died of injuries. Twenty-Four suffered
injuries from smoke inhalation. Some of these men were: John V. Rummels,Therion
A. Jones, George E. Surber, Arthur J. Horan Jr., Philip E. Baer.
The South Dakota retired to Guam for repairs and
maintenance from May 11 to 29, before sailing on to Layte. They arrived there
on June 1. This is a photo supbmitted by John J. Murphy of the medics attending
to the wounded, an all too familiar scene during the war aboard the
BB57.
(Note: Bomb damage was extensive as shown in this photo that is among many
from John's collection)
Burial At Sea
An account of "Burials at Sea" as told by James O. Johnson, 4th
Division.
After the body was placed in a canvas cover with
a 5 inch projectile(shell) enclosed weighing
94 pounds, and
covered with the American flag. Then they were placed on the plank and attended
by 6-8 "sideboys" (poll bearers). The chaplain then blessed and prayed over
each one. Then the ship was slowed down as much as possible. As the bugler
played Taps, they were slowly slipped to their final resting place.
I had the sad experience of burying several of my shipmates from the Northwest
in this manner. I had attended Boot Camp with several of them.
Note: Mess Hall tables were used as planks.
Photo of a burial at
sea provided by John J. Murphy. John was one of two (2) Burial Officers aboard
the Bb57.
REFLECTIONS
from a Friend and Neighbor
by John Wade
As "Bud" Robinson's neighbor
for the past thirteen years and a 1958 to 1962 "Navy Vet", I consider
myself fortunate. Not too many people can claim to have "been there". Arthur
Robinson is one. Then and now come together, with the SoDak community, in
preserving the memories of and sacrifices made by so many whom fought to
give us what we enjoy today. I sit in awe listening to his stories of "Then".
I would feel remiss if, even in a small way, I did not share some of his
reflections with the BB57 family.
MORE
Web Authors Note:
There is a great deal of information that is yet to be added to this site.
Please come back and visit from time to time to view additional accounts
from the ship's log, and the crews first hand accounts. Visit
our many pages of information and photos by returning to our Home Page by
using the link provided below. If you are a crew member, or 2nd Generation
of a crew member, and would like to submit any documents, or photos for this
web site, please email us at:
Gen5762@aol.com
