Battleship X

The Battleship X memorial at Sherman Park honors the USS South Dakota, one of the most decorated American battleships of World War II and a source of deep state pride. Christened in 1941 and built with more than 30,000 tons of steel, the ship survived some of the fiercest Pacific Theater combat, including a 1942 engagement where it took nearly 30 direct hits. Japan believed it had sunk, prompting the U.S. Navy to temporarily conceal its identity under the code name “Battleship X.” After the war, the ship was scrapped, but Sioux Falls chose to preserve its legacy. Today, the memorial outlines the ship’s footprint in concrete and displays salvaged parts, allowing visitors to imagine its scale and significance. It’s a quiet, powerful reminder that South Dakota’s name once sailed into battle and came home a legend. 

Battleship X Historical Marker