USS South Dakota (BB-57) — Equipment Reference & Asbestos Exposure Record
Equipment reference and asbestos exposure record for USS South Dakota (BB-57). 3 machinery and manufacturer entries from the public Wikipedia article...
By Rights Watch Media Group LLC•June 6, 2026•1 min read
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Service History
From the public Wikipedia / DANFS service-history record — source ›
USS South Dakota (BB-57) was the lead South Dakota-class fast battleship, commissioned in March 1942 and immediately deployed to the Pacific to reinforce Allied forces during the Guadalcanal campaign. She saw extensive WWII service including major engagements at Santa Cruz and Guadalcanal, followed by campaigns in the Gilbert, Marshall, Mariana, and Palau Islands, and the Philippines, with a brief 1943 deployment to the British Home Fleet before returning to Pacific operations. Following post-war occupation duties in Japan, she was laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet from 1946 until sold for scrap in 1962.
Construction & Service Dates
Builder
New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden, New Jersey
Laid down
1939-07-05
Launched
1941-06-07
Commissioned
1942-03-20
Notable Tours / Service Eras
WWII Pacific Theater 1942-1945
WWII Atlantic/British Home Fleet 1943
Post-war occupation of Japan 1945
Combat Actions
Battle of Santa Cruz· 1942-10 Fast carrier task force support
Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal· 1942-11 Surface combatant; sustained 24+ hits
Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign· 1943-11 to 1944-01 Anti-aircraft defense for fast carrier task force
Mariana and Palau Islands campaign· 1944-06 to 1944-08 Anti-aircraft defense for fast carrier task force
Philippines campaign· 1944-10 to 1944-12 Anti-aircraft defense for fast carrier task force
Battle of Iwo Jima· 1945-02 Naval gunfire support
Battle of Okinawa· 1945-04 to 1945-06 Naval gunfire support
Bombardment of Japan· 1945 Shore bombardment; three occasions
Home Ports & Forward Bases
Philadelphia Navy Yard — fitting out and commissioning 1942
Hampton Roads, Virginia — 1942
Casco Bay, Maine — 1942
Philadelphia Naval Shipyard — reserve fleet lay-up 1946-1962
Drydock & Overhaul Periods
High Asbestos-Exposure Window
Philadelphia Navy Yard· 1942 fitting out
United States· 1942-1943 repairs (Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal damage)
Philadelphia Naval Shipyard· 1946-1962 lay-up in Atlantic Reserve Fleet
Asbestos rip-out, insulation replacement, and gasket-packing work occurred during these yard periods. Sailors aboard during overhauls had peak exposure to airborne asbestos fiber.
Notable Incidents
Accidental grounding on uncharted reef in south Pacific prior to Santa Cruz
Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal November 1942 — electrical failures hampered combat effectiveness; sustained 24+ hits to superstructure
Final Disposition
Sold for scrap 1962
USS South Dakota (BB-57) is a documented U.S. Navy battleship. The equipment reference below was extracted from the publicly-available Wikipedia article on this vessel, which cites the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS) — the U.S. Navy’s official ship-history publication maintained by the Naval History and Heritage Command.
Equipment Reference
Equipment Manifest — USS South Dakota (BB-57). 3 machinery/equipment entries identified through ship-specific BUSHIPS documentation. Manufacturers in bold link to documented asbestos-product history on AsbestosIndex.com.
Four-shaft geared turbines, per Wikipedia infobox propulsion section
Vought OS2U Kingfisher floatplanes
Vought
3
Aircraft for aerial reconnaissance, per Wikipedia infobox
Source: this equipment reference was extracted from public Wikipedia/DANFS records for USS South Dakota (BB-57). These are secondary-source records — not primary BUSHIPS design documents. For litigation purposes, this data is a starting point; a ship-specific BUSHIPS Material Inspection Report or commissioning book would provide gold-standard verification.
The asbestos-containing products documented on U.S. Navy vessels and at shipyards are catalogued by manufacturer on AsbestosIndex. These records cross-reference which companies supplied which materials and to which facilities.
Navy Ratings Most Exposed to Asbestos Aboard South Dakota
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the public asbestos litigation record document that the following Navy ratings worked routinely in spaces where ACM was installed, maintained, ripped out, and replaced:
Fireman (FN) — engineering-plant tending across boiler and engine rooms
VA Presumptive Benefits — No Filing Deadline
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs recognizes mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, and pleural disease as conditions presumed to be service-connected for Navy veterans with documented asbestos exposure under 38 CFR § 3.309(d). No statute of limitations applies to VA disability compensation claims.
Available benefits may include monthly disability compensation, Dependency & Indemnity Compensation (DIC) for surviving spouses, priority VA healthcare enrollment, and Special Monthly Compensation for severe cases. Parallel claims against the asbestos bankruptcy trust funds established by the manufacturers of these products do not reduce VA compensation.
How to file a VA disability claim: VA claims are filed directly with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs — not with a law firm. Start at VA.gov › Hazardous Materials Exposure, call 1‑800‑827‑1000, or get free help filing from a Veterans Service Organization: DAV, VFW, or American Legion.
Source notes: equipment-manifest entries (where shown) are sourced from public-record BUSHIPS (Bureau of Ships) documentation, NARA archives, and the public asbestos litigation record. Manufacturer attributions link to documented asbestos-product histories on AsbestosIndex.com where available. Nothing on this page constitutes medical or legal advice.
Documented Asbestos-Exposure Environments — U.S. Navy Service
Public-domain U.S. Navy photographs illustrating the engineering spaces, ratings, and yard environments where asbestos materials were routinely encountered during normal duty.
All images are public domain (U.S. Government works). Specific photographs depict generic Navy engineering and yard environments — not the named vessel above. Asbestos materials shown or implied include pipe lagging, boiler insulation, steam-line covering, and gasket / packing materials standard on U.S. Navy vessels through the early 1980s.
South Dakota BB-57 — Frequently Asked Questions
Are South Dakota BB-57 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. South Dakota BB-57 is documented in the public U.S. Navy asbestos litigation record. U.S. Navy vessels of her service era were built to BUSHIPS specifications that required asbestos insulation throughout engineering spaces, on steam lines, around boilers and turbines, and in gasket and packing materials.
Which shipboard components on South Dakota BB-57 contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of South Dakota BB-57's era include: boiler insulation and lagging, steam-line pipe insulation, turbine and reduction-gear casings, valve packing, gaskets, brake and clutch friction materials, electrical wire insulation, overhead pipe coverings in berthing and mess spaces, and Navy-issue boiler cement and refractory in fireboxes.
What ratings were exposed to asbestos serving on South Dakota BB-57?
Navy ratings with the highest documented asbestos exposure include Machinist's Mate (MM), Boiler Technician (BT), Hull Maintenance Technician (HT), Engineman (EN), Electrician's Mate (EM), Interior Communications Electrician (IC), Damage Controlman (DC), and Pipefitter / Shipfitter. Officers in engineering departments also encountered asbestos in normal duty. Shipyard workers performing overhaul, repair, or refit work had concentrated exposure during yard periods.
What equipment manufacturers are documented on South Dakota BB-57?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard South Dakota BB-57 include: Babcock & Wilcox, General Electric, Vought. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.
Do South Dakota BB-57 veterans qualify for VA disability for mesothelioma?
Yes. Mesothelioma is recognized by the VA as service-connected for veterans with documented Navy service and qualifying asbestos exposure. South Dakota BB-57 veterans (or surviving family) typically file at VA.gov, by phone at 1-800-827-1000, or with assistance from a Veterans Service Officer through DAV, VFW, or American Legion. Civil claims against asbestos product manufacturers are separate from VA benefits — many veterans pursue both paths.
Disclaimer: The information in this article is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute medical or legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is created by reading this site. References to ships, shipyards, companies, products, and asbestos-containing materials are drawn from public VA records, NARA archives, EPA/OSHA databases, and public litigation records. All references reflect what has been documented or alleged in publicly filed records. Consult a licensed physician for medical guidance and a qualified attorney for legal advice regarding your specific situation.
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