USS South Dakota (ACR-9)

USS South Dakota (ACR-9), port bow view at anchor, location and date unknown.
History
United States
Name:	South Dakota (1908–1920) Huron (1920–1929)
Namesake:	State of South Dakota City of Huron, South Dakota
Ordered:	7 June 1900
Awarded:	10 January 1901
Builder:	Union Iron Works, San Francisco, California
Cost:	$3,750,000 (contract price of hull and machinery)
Laid down:	30 September 1902
Launched:	21 July 1904
Sponsored by:	Miss F. Pardee
Commissioned:	27 January 1908
Decommissioned:	17 June 1927
Renamed:	Huron, 7 June 1920
Reclassified:	CA-9, 17 July 1920
Struck:	13 November 1929
Identification:	Hull symbol: ACR-9 Hull symbol: CA-9
Fate:	sold for scrap, 11 February 1930, in accordance with the provisions of the London Naval Treaty
Status:	subsequently sold to the Powell River Co., British Columbia, Canada to be used as a breakwater
General characteristics (as built)
Class and type:	Pennsylvania-class armored cruiser
Displacement:	13,680 long tons (13,900 t) (standard) 15,138 long tons (15,381 t) (full load)
Length:	503 ft 11 in (153.59 m) oa 502 ft (153 m) pp
Beam:	69 ft 6 in (21.18 m)
Draft:	24 ft 1 in (7.34 m) (mean)
Installed power:	16 × Babcock & Wilcox boilers 23,000 ihp (17,000 kW)
Propulsion:	2 × vertical triple expansion reciprocating engines 2 × screws
Speed:	22 kn (41 km/h; 25 mph) 22.15 kn (41.02 km/h; 25.49 mph) (Speed on Trials)
Complement:	80 officers 745 enlisted 64 Marines
Armament:	4 × 8 in (203 mm)/40 caliber Mark 5 breech-loading (BL) rifles(2×2) 14 × 6 in (152 mm)/50 cal Mark 6 BL rifles 18 × 3 in (76 mm)/50 cal rapid-fire guns 12 × 3-pounder (47 mm (1.9 in)) Driggs-Schroeder guns 2 × 1-pounder (37 mm (1.5 in)) Driggs-Schroeder saluting guns 2 × 18 in (457 mm) torpedo tubes
Armor:	Belt: 6 in (150 mm) (top & waterline) 5 in (130 mm) (bottom) Deck: 1 1⁄2 in (38 mm)- 6 in (amidships) 4 in (100 mm) (forward & aft) Barbettes: 6 in Turrets: 6 - 6 1⁄2 in (170 mm) Conning Tower: 9 in (230 mm)
General characteristics (Pre-1911 Refit)
Armament:	4 × 8 in/45 cal Mark 6 BL rifles (2×2) 14 × 6 in/50 cal Mark 6 BL rifles 18 × 3 in/50 cal rapid-fire guns 4 × 3-pounder (47 mm) Driggs-Schroeder saluting guns 2 × 18 in torpedo tubes
General characteristics (Pre-1921 Refit)
Armament:	4 × 8 in/45 caliber Mark 6 BL rifles (2×2) 14 × 6 in/50 Mark 6 caliber BL rifles 10 × 3 in/50 caliber rapid-fire guns 2 × 3 in/50 caliber anti-aircraft guns 4 × 3-pounder (47 mm) Driggs-Schroeder saluting guns 2 × 18 in torpedo tubes

The first USS South Dakota (ACR-9/CA-9), also referred to "Armored Cruiser No. 9", and later renamed Huron, was a United States Navy Pennsylvania-class armored cruiser.

South Dakota was laid down on 30 September 1902 by the Union Iron Works, San Francisco, California, she was launched on 21 July 1904; sponsored by Grace Herreid, daughter of Charles N. Herreid, Governor of South Dakota, and commissioned on 27 January 1908, Captain James T. Smith in command.

An act of Congress authorized South Dakota on 7 June 1900. The ship’s hull and machinery cost a contract total of $3,750,000. Her plant consisted of vertical triple expansion engines and 16 Babcock and Wilcox boilers, which powered two propellers. Four funnels, one cage mast, and one military mast provided a distinctive silhouette. One Type J submarine signal receiving set equipped the ship. Capt. Charles E. Fox reported on board as the ship’s General Inspector on 30 August 1907. The cruiser completed her preliminary acceptance on 19 November.

South Dakota began her shakedown on 3 March 1908. The ship sailed from San Francisco to Mexican waters, carrying out trials in Magdalena Bay from 8 to 10 March, and on 11 and 12 March off Isla Cedros—the ship reported her movements off the Anglicized spelling of Cerros Island, contributing to debate among international navigators concerning the designation of the island. She came about and visited San Diego, California (13–24 March). South Dakota then made a brief voyage northward along the Californian coast and put into San Pedro through the end of the month, followed by a visit to Long Beach (1–5 April), returning to San Pedro on 5 and 6 April. On 8 and 9 April, the cruiser lay off the Mare Island Light, and then visited San Francisco. South Dakota attained a speed of 22.24 kn (41.19 km/h; 25.59 mph) on trials.