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The first South Dakota (Armored Cruiser No. 9) was launched on 21 July 1904 by
the Union Iron Works San Francisco, Calif., sponsored by Miss Grace Harreid; and
commissioned on 27 January 1908, Capt. James T. Smith in
command.
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The
above calendar is from the USS South Dakota for the
year of 1910 for their cruise to China, Japan, and the
Philippines.
Assigned to the Armored Cruiser Squadron, Pacific Fleet, South
Dakota cruised off the west coast of the United States through August 1908. On
24 August, she departed San Francisco for a cruise to Samoa and headed eastward
in September to operate in Central and South American waters. In the autumn of
1909, she deployed westward with the Armored Cruiser Squadron. The force called
at ports in the Admiralty Islands; the Philippines; Japan, and China, before
returning to Honolulu on 31 January 1910.
In February, South Dakota
joined Tennessee to form a Special Service Squadron which cruised off the
Atlantic coast of South America and then returned to the Pacific late in the
year.
Following operations along the Pacific coast during much of 1911,
South Dakota began a cruise in December with the Armored Cruiser Squadron which
took her from California to the Hawaiian Islands, the Marianas, the Philippines,
and Japan. After returning to the west coast in August 1912, she participated in
periodic squadron exercises until she was placed in reserve on 30 December 1913
at the Puget Sound Navy Yard.
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