While the German Home Fleet and Mediterranean Fleet Capital Ship formations were encircling the American Navy's 2nd Capital Ship Formation, the eight Capital Ships of the German Atlantic Fleet were likewise encircling the American Navy's 3rd Capital Ship Formation in the waters west of Flores Island.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The German Navy's five Bavaria-class Battleships and three Mackensen-class Battleships were raining fire on the American Navy's four South Dakota-class Battleships. Shell after shell came crashing down upon the American battleships. With a two-to-one advantage, the American Navy's 3rd Capital Ship Formation was completely at a disadvantage.
Although the German Navy's Bavaria-class Battleships and Mackensen-class Battleships were old warships from the previous World War, after modernization they still unleashed extremely formidable combat power. Their 50-caliber 380mm Main Guns remained a lethal threat to the South Dakota-class Battleships.
Although the American Navy's 3rd Capital Ship Formation was fighting back stubbornly, it was now being suppressed.
Boom!
A 380mm Shell struck the flagship of the American Navy's 3rd Capital Ship Formation, the battleship South Dakota. The shell hit Turret Z on the After Deck.
However, the 380mm Shell failed to penetrate the turret's 457mm-thick frontal armor.
Although the South Dakota-class Battleships had a full-load displacement of only 46,000 tons, far smaller than the later Iowa-class Battleships and Montana-class Battleships, their defenses had been reinforced. Protection on less important areas had been reduced as much as possible to strengthen vital sections. That was why the South Dakota-class Battleships had turret frontal armor as thick as 457mm. The conning tower armor was also 406mm thick. Their belt armor was 305mm thick, while their deck armor measured 179mm.
"General, Turret Z was hit. It was not penetrated, but the sailors inside were knocked unconscious by the shock," an officer reported to Rear Admiral Ingram.
Rear Admiral