Battleship "X": Story of the U.S.S. South Dakota
Newsmap wall sheet for troops on the battleship U.S.S. South Dakota, then called Battleship 'X': a painted scene of the ship shooting down an attacking aircraft, a text history, a photograph of the crew with the ship's tally painted on a conning tower, and diagrams of armament, armor, size and battle roles. It selects the ship's successes; the technique is faint, a one-sided record (card-stacking) in an informational sheet.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1943
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- War Department, Army Service Forces, Army Orientation Course, Morale Services Division (Newsmap)
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- Military
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Own forces
- Purpose
- Reassure
- Themes
- War and the military, Science and technology
- Event
- World War II
- Regime
- Roosevelt administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 44, World War II Posters, retrieved October 4, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain (U.S. government work)
War Department, Army Service Forces, Army Orientation Course, Morale Services Division (Newsmap). National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-453 (NAID 513922).
Text on the object
Battleship "X" STORY OF THE U.S.S. SOUTH DAKOTA ORDERED in December, 1938, as Battleship No. 57, the 680-foot SOUTH DAKOTA was launched on June 7, 1941, at the Camden, N. J., yard of the New York Ship Building Company. She was among the first capital ships to commission after Pearl Harbor. SOUTH DAKOTA and her sisters are the only fast, modern U. S. battleships fitted with a single funnel. [signature: illegible, lower right of painting] CHARACTERISTICS OF MODERN BATTLESHIPS ARMAMENT: Main Battery: Caliber—12" to 16" No. Guns—8 to 12 Turrets—twin and triple (in U. S.) Secondary Battery: Caliber: 5" Mounts: casemate and twin enclosed mounts PROTECTION: Armor: Belt: 11" to 16" Decks: 3" to 6" Turrets: 12" to 18" Conning Towers: 12" to 16" The most elaborate system of underwater protection. MOBILITY: Speed: Maximum: 20 to 30 knots. Average endurance: 10,000 nautical miles at 10 to 14 knots. Average fuel capacity: 4,000 tons (oil). SIZE: Displacement: 26,100 to 45,000 tons (standard) Length: 562' to 880' (over all) Beam: 106' to 108' Draft: 26' to 36' (mean) DESTROYER COMPLEMENT: 100 to 200 Officers, 1,100 to 1,600 Men. Above figures are approximate. HER RECORD Manned by a comparatively green crew, the SOUTH DAKOTA has gained an enviable battle record in the Southwest Pacific Theatre. During the Battle of Santa Cruz (Oct. 26, 1942) she was credited with shooting down 32 attacking Japanese dive and torpedo bombers. Her commanding officer was wounded, but had recovered sufficiently to lead his ship again in her second engagement during the night of Nov. 14th to 15th, 1942. Here the SOUTH DAKOTA gained her greatest victory in sinking three major Japanese surface units by gunfire. These individual achievements of the warship at that time identified for security reasons as only the Battleship "X" contributed heavily towards thwarting the supreme effort made by the Japanese battle fleet to regain control of the Solomon Islands. The ship's artist has graphically depicted the battle record of the SOUTH DAKOTA on her conning tower. SOME BATTLESHIP JOBS STRATEGIC TACTICAL OUR FORCES ENEMY Containing heavy enemy surface forces. Engaging naval targets with main battery fire. Covering lanes of sea communications. Long-range bombardment of shore targets. Covering amphibious operations. Heavy anti-aircraft defence for a convoy. NEWSMAP Prepared and distributed by ARMY ORIENTATION COURSE, Morale Services Division, Army Service Forces, WAR DEPT., 38581 Pentagon Bldg., Washington, D. C. [imprint: ★ U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1943—559110]
