'Comeback' for U.S. Navy Battleship USS Texas Just Hit a Snag
Summary and Key Points: The USS Texas (BB-35), the only surviving battleship to have served in both World Wars, continues its restoration at Gulf Copper Dry Dock & Rig Repair. After two years of extensive work, including replacing 700 tons of steel and restoring anti-aircraft guns, the historic warship has been moved to Pier A for the next restoration phase.
-Originally moored in the Houston Ship Channel, the battleship faces an uncertain future as efforts to find a new permanent home encounter challenges, with plans to relocate to Galveston waterfront facing opposition and financial constraints limiting options like Seawolf Park.
Battleship USS Texas is on the Move Again
Restoration work continues on the only surviving battleship to see service in both World Wars. For two years, the New York-class battleship USS Texas (BB-35) has been undergoing much-needed repairs at the Gulf Copper Dry Dock & Rig Repair, and it was announced this week that the historic vessel – which took part in the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944 – was relocated to the facilities Pier A to begin the next phase of its restoration.
It was only in March that the warship was returned to the water.
"Since 2022, nearly 300,000 man-hours have been spent replacing 700 tons of steel, painting the hull, and restoring and replacing anti-aircraft guns, among other repairs," ABC13.com reported.
Time and the Elements – A Warship's Worst Enemy
After being retired following the Second World War, USS Texas became the nation's first battleship to be turned into a floating museum and she was transferred to the Lone Star State.
Since April 21, 1948, the gallant warship was located in the Houston Ship Channel near the San Jacinto Battleground Memorial – the location where Texian troops led by Gen. Sam Houston surprised and quickly defeated the Mexican Army in 1836.
It was considered a fitting location for what became the honorary flagship of the Texas Navy. Yet, even as the warship was located just 25 miles east of Houston, it had only seen 80,000 to 90,000 visitors a year, far below what's needed for it to be self-sustaining. Efforts are now underway to find a new permanent home for the warship.
Moreover, all those decades spent in the water had taken their toll on the old battle wagon, and in June 2017, a six-by-eight-inch hole about fifteen feet below the waterline opened and caused the USS Texas to list six degrees. It had been kept afloat by pumps as it took on 2,000 gallons of water a minute. Emergency efforts were made to ensure the battlewagon didn't sink, and in 2022 it was sent for the much-needed repairs.
In addition to addressing structural issues to the hull, the restoration work has focused on making the battleship appear as it did in 1945, at the end of the Second World War. As previously reported, above the boot top – the black band on the hull – the ship has been painted Navy Blue 5-N. That color was matched from existing examples found both internally and externally on the vessel.
Where Will USS Texas End Up?
Plans to move the warship to the Galveston waterfront have been met with opposition from local businesses, which expressed concerns it will impact the view of the harbor. In addition, the Battleship Texas Foundation, which oversees the care and maintenance of the warship, has already ruled out "definitively" bringing BB-35 to Seawolf Park, which would seem the ideal location.
It is home to the Galveston Naval Museum, as well as the Gato-class submarine USS Cavalla (SS-244), which had the distinction of sinking the Japanese aircraft carrier Shkaku during World War II, and the Edsall-class destroyer escort USS Stewart (DE-238). In addition, Seawolf Park maintains the remains of the World War I tanker SS Selma – one of the twelve experimental concrete ships constructed.
Unfortunately, it has come down to money. The foundation deemed the move simply too expensive. In addition to completing repairs, the next step will be finding a home for the warship.
Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.
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