Before Pearl Harbor, North Carolina and Washington were already in service, but they were training elsewhere and had not joined the Pacific fleet. Their absence is also interpreted as a way to preserve the newest battleships from unnecessary exposure while they prepared. South Dakota and Indiana entered service before Coral Sea, with Indiana commissioning on 30 April, yet neither was expected to be ready for that battle. South Dakota might have been available if her preparation had been pushed harder. Massachusetts entered service on 12 May, after Coral Sea and before Midway. Alabama followed on 16 August, too late for either battle.
Notable Point · 35:32-36:49
Why newly commissioned battleships could miss the next battle
The American battleship commissioning sequence shows why a ship could enter service before a major battle and still be unavailable to fight.