The Lady and the Prizefighter

I've been having a vision and I know not whether it is literally true or false; did I actually see it or is my imagination being overly active as usual? The subject is real.

The vision is either a painting or a model diorama called "The Lady and the Prizefighter" and depicts USS Enterprise CV-6 and USS South Dakota BB-56 sailing together. Enterprise, the aircraft carrier also known as "The Big E", is of course The Lady. South Dakota is the Prizefighter, and for a brand new ship, quite robust.

Keep in mind that South Dakota at the time was the most heavily defended piece of ocean in the entire Pacific. Granted her nine 16" guns could match just about anything afloat (including Yamato and Musashi), the anti-aircraft suite was extraordinary. Five twin-mount 5"-38 mounts per side, accompanied by lots and lots of quad and twin 40mm Bofors mounts, dozens of 20mm Oerlikon, and numerous Browning 50-caliber.

In November 1942, South Dakota was assigned as a close AAA escort to Enterprise. During the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, Enterprise was attacked by hundreds of Japanese aircraft, all intent on sinking her. Credit goes to South Dakota that they were unsuccessful. Enterprise's fighter compliment was up, yes, but for the leakers that made it into South Dakota's AAA arc, most of them were doomed. Enterprise, unfortunately, was hit enough times that her flight deck was finally put out of action, but not before the main Japanese carrier force was knocked out.

USS Hornet CV-8, who, along with Enterprise and USS Yorktown CV-5, was one of the hero ships of the outstanding incredible victory at Midway Island in June 1942, was set afire and eventually sunk by a combination of bombs and torpedos from aircraft that penetrated her screen of fighter aircraft, cruisers, destroyers and her own AAA.

At one point, Enterprise's steering suffered a casualty which left her rudder jammed at full starboard and caused her to nearly ram South Dakota. South Dakota managed to turn inside Enterprise and increase speed to pull ahead until she could cross to the outside of Enterprise's turning circle. Her AAA never missed a beat, even as the captains breathed a sigh of relief.

Here's to the Lady and the Prizefighter.