USS Texas (BB-35)
I remember visiting the battleship USS Texas in the San Jacinto River in Texas as schoolboy from Dallas while on a family vacation, almost fifty years ago. Her 14″ guns were impressive and I still recall climbing around her anti-aircraft guns on deck. This week marked the 100th anniversary of the USS Texas‘ commissioning on March 12, 1914.
USS Texas is a New York-class battleship and the last of the dreadnoughts. She fought in both World War I and World War II, providing artillery support in both the invasion of Normandy and the assaults on Iwo Jima and Okinawa. She has been a museum ship since 1947.
In recent years her greatest battles have been with rust and inadequate funding. We posted in 2012 about chronic leaks in the hull that have threatened to sink the ship. (See Update: 100 Year Old Battleship Texas Shutdown Indefinitely by Leaks). Plans to put the ship in a “dry berth” to preserve her have been put on hold due to lack of funding. Last year $17.5 million in funding was arranged to allow for critical repairs, while an estimated additional $18 million is still needed. To the question as to whether the glass was half full or half empty, ship manager, Andy Smith replied, “”At least, we’ve got a glass.”
I have visited the Battleship Texas several times. It has fascinated me from my first trip as a child in the early 80s. I took a science field trip in the 7th grade to the Texas A&M Galveston campus in the Spring of 1989. We took a trawler boat into Galveston Bay to catch squid and hardhead catfish. While leaving the island, I saw the Battleship Texas in its dry dock. I have a poor quality picture taken with my 110 camera. I returned to San Jacinto Battlefield in 2005 and toured the Battleship again. It was even better than I had remembered. I actually saw a film crew working on a documentary… watched then dramatize a scene complete with actors abd smoke. I always wanted to see the documentary but I have no clue what it was titled. I hope they keep it up so that I may bring my kids to see it one day we get back down that way.
As a Texas ex-patriot from the 1940’s (San Antonio and Houston) . . .
And frequent diner at The San Jacinto Inn
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_xm9jjln_8I)
-and-
houstonhistorymagazine.org/wp…/11/V4-N2-Oliveira-San-JAs ac-Inn.pdf. . .
Given the State of Texas’ excellent financial circumstances per testimony of Governor Rick Perry . . .
I’m embarrassed to the core by the failure of THE STATE to provide a dry birth for beloved U.S.S. Texas, BB-35.
Might have to strike my Texas Colors.
Why would its` future be uncertain?
The State of Texas has only funded half of what is needed to repair & preserve the ship. They are still $18 million in the hole.
It is truly an act of fate or GOD or both that I found this site so that I mite be able to express my joy that someone cares about her, the TEXAS, and also great sorrow and embarrassment that this ship has not been brought up to snuff during (or before) not ONE but TWO……TWO American presidents with “Texas Pride” and a whole ….whole lot of money and contacts..could not and did not and it looks like WILL NOT do anything about or for this GREAT BATTLESHIP that has there home states namesake. They should be utterly embarrassed and ashamed. Let me tell you why this hits a nerve with me.
MY father Charles H Blakemore was one of the last group of anti aircraft gunners on this GREAT ship. Stationed on top of number 2 turret, he was a part of HISTORY. We should all be ashamed at the fact that things like this, a proud and noble reminder of where we have come from and who we are, are left to ROT….By our trusted representatives (Presidents Etc) this should have never ever reached the point of deciding death to her, or LIFE.
I will take my own responsibility in that I never realized the dyer need that this ship has been in, and should have kept her closer to my heart and mind. But I will say this this is not My last say in this matter and this forum will not be the only voice. I will make this heard…..I PROMISE YOU…….AND MY FATHER…god rest his sole.
This would be enough to piss him off enough to have induced another heart attack.
In closing if there are any and I mean any surviving crew that read this or if any of you know any crew members (shipmates) DO NOT HESITATE to contact me thru this site…PLEASE.
Thank you all for any and all comments about this Great Ship that kept her crew safe…..and KICKED SOME ASS!
GOD BLESS all veterans, land, air and sea, I love you all.
sincerely Kurt Blakemore
I also feel ashamed because my wife and I used to live in Texas and quite honestly we never heard of this until now!!!! you would think that Texas reps and all involved would speak up more than what they do hell they could have done some type of funding drive to help all they had to and have to do is go out to each and every county/city in Texas like a charity drive or a fund raising event or like wise this is utter crap and they should indeed be ashamed of their selves this is neglect and a tragedy be more honest people. The ship is an historic icon being allowed to decay to the point of no return bullshit i say!!! I’m sorry for my language but something needs to be done to help save this national treasure!!!!!
Unfortunately it takes money…..a LOT of money to keep museum ships like the TEXAS in good condition. The Texas Park Service has known for years that the upkeep of her would be nonstop until a dry berth could be built but that alone is an expensive project. Basically the USS TEXAS needs about $50 million to repair her to as close to original condition as possible and dry berth her. They just keep doing the work that needs to be done piece by piece. But as time goes on the stuff that was repaired needs fixing again and now other things need to be fixed so it’s a constant money pit. She definitely needs to be saved because she’s the last of her kind in the world. In my opinion, the park service should have never let TEXAS get this bad off. She’s a historical landmark so get your investors together, get a loan to fix this national treasure and stop begging for money that the park service knew was eventually going to need to be raised. They have been raising money for decades and it will never stop till they get her out of the water. The U.S. has something like 8 floating battleship museums and they ALL constantly ask for money which is understandable. I don’t know all the ins and outs of museum fundraising but something should have been done about TEXAS long ago. All the money that’s wasted in government could have fixed her situation years ago but here we are 2016 and STILL nothing has been done. A state tax for 2 or 3 years could help but citizens would bitch about that I’m sure. I just hope she gets the repairs she deserves before its to late.