USS Texas (BB-35) facts for kids
USS Texas (BB-35), off New York City c. 1919
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 United States |
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| Name | Texas |
| Namesake | State of Texas |
| Ordered | 24 June 1910 |
| Builder | Newport News Shipbuilding |
| Cost | $5,830,000 contract bid price, excluding the price of armor and armament |
| Laid down | 17 April 1911 |
| Launched | 18 May 1912 |
| Sponsored by | Claudia Lyon |
| Commissioned | 12 March 1914 |
| Decommissioned | 21 April 1948 |
| Stricken | 30 April 1948 |
| Identification |
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| Nickname(s) | "Mighty T" |
| Honors and awards |
 5 × battle star |
| Status | Museum ship at San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | New York-class battleship |
| Displacement | |
| Length | |
| Beam | 95 ft 2.5 in (29.020 m) |
| Draft |
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| Installed power | |
| Propulsion |
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| Speed | |
| Range | 7,060 nmi (13,075 km; 8,125 mi) at 10 kn (19 km/h) |
| Complement | 1,042 officers and men |
| Armament |
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| Armor |
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| General characteristics (1925–1926 refit) | |
| Displacement |
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| Beam | 106 ft 0 in (32.31 m) |
| Draft | 31 ft 6 in (9.60 m) (max) |
| Installed power | 6 × Bureau Express oil-fired boilers |
| Speed | 19.72 kn (23 mph; 37 km/h) |
| Endurance | 15,400 nmi (17,722 mi; 28,521 km) at 10 kn (12 mph; 19 km/h) |
| Armament |
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| Aircraft carried | 3 × floatplanes |
| Aviation facilities | 1 × catapult (fitted on Turret 3) |
| General characteristics (1942 refit) | |
| Armament |
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| General characteristics (1945) | |
| Complement | 1810 officers and men |
| Sensors and processing systems |
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| Armament |
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| Armor |
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| Aircraft carried | 2 × OS2U Kingfisher later removed |
| Aviation facilities | 1 x catapult later removed |
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USS Texas
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Texas, photographed in 2014 in her berth at the San Jacinto Battleground, near Houston. She is wearing Measure 21 camouflage as she did in 1945.
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 Location in Texas
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| Location | 22 mi. E of Houston on TX 134 at San Jacinto Battleground, La Porte, Texas |
| NRHP reference No. | 76002039 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | 8 December 1976 |
| Designated NHL | 8 December 1976 |
The USS Texas (BB-35) is a famous United States Navy battleship. She was launched on May 18, 1912, and officially joined the Navy on March 12, 1914.
Texas took part in important events like the "Tampico Incident" in Mexico and sailed in the North Sea during World War I. When the United States entered World War II in 1941, Texas helped protect ships carrying supplies across the Atlantic. She also fired her big guns to support troops landing on beaches in North Africa and during the Normandy Landings in France. Later, she moved to the Pacific Ocean to help with the Battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
Texas was taken out of service in 1948. She earned five battle stars for her brave service in World War II. Today, she is a museum ship near Houston, Texas, where people can visit her.
This battleship was also a testing ground for new technology. She was the first U.S. battleship to have anti-aircraft guns. She was also the first U.S. ship to use special equipment to control her gunfire, which was like an early computer. Texas was also the first U.S. battleship to launch an airplane from her deck. She was one of the first ships in the U.S. Navy to get a special type of radar called CXAM-1.
Among the battleships still around today, Texas is special. She was the first U.S. battleship to become a permanent museum. She was also the first battleship to be named a U.S. National Historic Landmark. Texas is the only remaining dreadnought battleship from the World War I era. She is also one of only seven ships, and the only large warship, that served in both World Wars.
Contents
Building the Battleship Texas
The U.S. Congress decided to build Texas on June 24, 1910. She was the second Navy ship named after the state of Texas. The company Newport News Shipbuilding won the contract to build her.
Texas was started on April 17, 1911, in Newport News, Virginia. She was launched into the water on May 18, 1912. Miss Claudia Lyon, whose father was a well-known person from Texas, sponsored the ship. Texas officially joined the Navy on March 12, 1914.
Texas's main weapons were ten 14-inch guns. These guns could fire heavy 1,400-pound shells up to 13 miles away. She also had twenty-one 5-inch guns for smaller targets. The ship had four 21-inch torpedo tubes that could fire torpedoes.
Battleship Texas in Action
On March 24, 1914, Texas left Norfolk Navy Yard and sailed to New York City. She spent three weeks there getting her special gunfire control equipment installed.
Mexican Waters Duty
While Texas was in New York, President Woodrow Wilson sent many ships to Mexico. This was because of an event called the "Tampico Incident." Mexican soldiers had stopped an American gunboat crew. The U.S. wanted an apology and a special salute to the American flag.
President Wilson used this event to pressure the Mexican government. On April 20, he ordered U.S. forces to land at Veracruz and take control of the customs house. This happened on April 21–22.
Texas quickly sailed to Mexico on May 13, 1914. She joined other U.S. ships off Veracruz on May 26. She stayed in Mexican waters for over two months, supporting the American troops on land. On August 8, she left Mexico and returned to New York.
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In October, Texas went back to the Mexican coast. She served as a station ship at Tuxpan until November 4. On November 7, while in Galveston, Texas, the Governor of Texas gave the ship a special silver service.
Texas left Mexico on December 20 and sailed back to New York for repairs. In May 1915, Texas and other battleships helped rescue 230 passengers from a damaged passenger ship called Ryndam.
In 1916, Texas became the first U.S. battleship to have anti-aircraft guns. These were two 3-inch guns placed on platforms. She was also the first to use special equipment to control her gunfire, which helped her shoot more accurately.
World War I Service
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Before the U.S. entered World War I in April 1917, Texas was busy with training exercises. After the U.S. declared war, Texas trained gun crews for merchant ships. One of these crews, on the ship Mongolia, fired the first American shots of World War I. They shot at a German U-boat on April 19, 1917.
In August, Texas went to New York for repairs. On September 27, she accidentally ran aground (got stuck) on Block Island. This caused damage to her hull. She had to return to the shipyard for extensive repairs, which meant she couldn't go to Europe with other battleships right away.
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By December, Texas was repaired. In January 1918, she prepared for her trip across the Atlantic Ocean. She left New York on January 30, 1918, and arrived in Scapa Flow, Scotland, on February 11. There, she joined the British Grand Fleet.
Texas's job with the Grand Fleet was to escort convoys (groups of ships) and help protect British ships on blockade duty in the North Sea. The fleet often moved between bases in Scapa Flow and the Firth of Forth in Scotland. Texas helped escort convoys and supported other battle squadrons.
On April 24, 1918, Texas and the Grand Fleet went to sea when German ships threatened an Allied convoy. The German fleet was seen, but they were too far away for a battle. The war ended with an armistice on November 11, 1918. On November 21, Texas joined the Grand Fleet to meet the surrendering German Fleet.
Between the World Wars
On December 12, 1918, Texas sailed with other battleships to meet President Woodrow Wilson. He was on his way to the Paris Peace Conference in France. They escorted him to Brest. On December 14, Texas left France to return to the United States. She arrived in New York on Christmas Day, 1918.
After some repairs, Texas rejoined the Atlantic Fleet in early 1919. On March 10, she made history by becoming the first American battleship to launch an airplane. A pilot flew a British-built Sopwith Camel off the ship in Cuba. Later, it was found that using airplanes to spot where shells landed made gunfire much more accurate. Because of this, the Navy decided to add floatplanes to all battleships and newer cruisers.
In May 1919, Texas helped the Navy's Curtiss NC flying boat NC-4 become the first airplane to fly across the Atlantic. In July 1919, Texas moved to the Pacific Fleet. On July 17, 1920, she was given the number BB-35 as part of the Navy's new numbering system.
In 1924, Texas returned to the East Coast for repairs and a training trip to Europe. On November 25, 1924, she sank the unfinished battleship Washington. This was done to follow the Naval Arms Limitation Treaty of 1922.
From July 1925 to November 1926, Texas had a major upgrade. Her old cage masts were replaced with tripod masts. Her coal-fired boilers were replaced with oil-fired ones, and her gunfire control system was improved. Her anti-aircraft guns were increased, and her torpedo tubes were removed.
After her upgrade, Texas became the flagship (the ship where the commander stays) of the United States Fleet. In January 1928, she carried President Calvin Coolidge to Cuba for a conference. She then went through the Panama Canal to Hawaii for fleet exercises.
In 1927, Texas was the first ship to show "talking pictures" for the crew's entertainment. From 1931 to 1937, her home port was in California. In 1937, she was moved back to the East Coast to be the flagship for training missions.
In 1937, eight 1.1-inch anti-aircraft guns were added to improve her defenses. In December 1938, Texas tested the first ship radar made by a company for the U.S. Navy. In 1941, she was one of 14 ships to get the improved CXAM-1 radar.
World War II Service
Early Operations
When war started in Europe in September 1939, Texas began patrolling to keep the war out of the Western Hemisphere. Later, she started escorting ships carrying supplies to the United Kingdom. In February 1941, the U.S. 1st Marine Division was formed aboard Texas.
On December 7, 1941, the day of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Texas was in Casco Bay, Maine. After Pearl Harbor, she escorted convoys to England and patrolled near Iceland. In 1942, her secondary guns were reduced, and her anti-aircraft guns were greatly increased. This was because the attack on Pearl Harbor showed how important anti-aircraft defense was. She continued escorting convoys for the next six months.
Operation Torch: North Africa
On October 23, 1942, Texas took part in her first big combat mission, Operation Torch. This was the invasion of North Africa. Her group's goal was Port Lyautey in French Morocco. The ships arrived off the beaches on November 8.
Texas broadcasted Lt. General Dwight D. Eisenhower's "Voice of Freedom" message, asking the French not to fight the Allied landings. Texas began firing her guns in the afternoon when the Army asked her to hit a French ammunition dump. She fired again on November 10. She used 273 14-inch shells and six 5-inch shells. On November 16, Texas left North Africa to return to the U.S.
The young news reporter Walter Cronkite was on board Texas during this operation. His experiences launched his career as a war correspondent.
Operation Overlord: Normandy Landings
Throughout 1943, Texas continued to escort convoys across the Atlantic. This routine continued into 1944. On April 22, 1944, she stayed in Scotland and began training for the invasion of Normandy, France.
Training for D-Day
For 12 days, Texas practiced firing her 14-inch guns with British battleships. Airplanes helped spot where the shells landed. On April 29, Texas and two other U.S. battleships, Nevada and Arkansas, moved to Belfast Lough, Northern Ireland. Here, they made final preparations. The ship's observation planes were removed, and their pilots joined a special squadron to fly spotting missions in Spitfires because of German fighter planes. More radio equipment was added, including a device to detect radio-guided missiles.
General Eisenhower visited the ship on May 19 to speak to the crew. On May 31, the crew was briefed about the upcoming invasion. Texas was chosen to lead the bombardment force for the western part of Omaha Beach. She would support the U.S. 29th Infantry Division and the U.S. 2nd Ranger Battalion at Pointe du Hoc.
On June 3, 1944, Texas and other ships sailed from Belfast Lough for Normandy. The fleet had to turn back due to bad weather but then headed for Normandy again. They navigated through German minefields, and no ships were lost.
D-Day Bombardment
At 3:00 AM on June 6, 1944, Texas arrived at her firing position near Pointe du Hoc. The initial bombardment began at 5:50 AM, targeting six 15 cm guns at Pointe du Hoc. Texas fired 255 14-inch shells in 34 minutes. This was her longest continuous firing period in World War II. Her smaller 5-inch guns fired on the area leading to Exit D-1 from Omaha Beach. Later, she fired further inland to stop enemy reinforcements.
By noon, the attack on Omaha Beach was in trouble because of strong German resistance. Texas moved closer to the shore, only 3,000 yards away, to fire her main guns with very little elevation. This helped clear the western exit D-1. She fired at snipers and machine gun nests.
On June 7, Texas sent supplies and ammunition to the Ranger battalion at Pointe Du Hoc, who were cut off. The boats brought back 35 wounded Rangers to Texas for treatment. They also brought 27 prisoners of war. Later that day, her guns fired on the towns of Formigny and Trévières to break up German troops. German planes attacked the ships that night, but Texas's anti-aircraft guns missed the intruder. On June 8, her guns fired on Isigny and Trévières again.
After this, she went to Plymouth to get more ammunition. She returned to the French coast on June 11 and supported the army's advance until June 15. Her last mission was so far inland that she had to flood one side of the ship with water to tilt it. This gave her guns enough elevation to reach the target. On June 18, Texas left Normandy for England.
Battle of Cherbourg
On June 25, Texas, along with Arkansas, Nevada, and other ships, moved towards Cherbourg to attack the German forts there. Texas and Arkansas were ordered to attack Battery Hamburg, a large shore battery with four 24 cm guns.
At 12:08 PM, Arkansas fired first. At 12:33 PM, three German shells landed near Texas. Five minutes later, Texas fired back. At 1:16 PM, a German 24 cm shell hit the top of her conning tower, damaging it and wounding seven crew members. The helmsman, Christen Christensen, died from his wounds. Despite the damage, Texas kept firing and hit one of the German gun positions, destroying the gun inside.
At 2:47 PM, an unexploded 24 cm shell was found. It had crashed through the ship's front and into an officer's room but did not explode. This unexploded shell is now on display aboard the ship. During the three-hour battle, Germans fired many shells near Texas, but she continued her mission, firing 206 14-inch shells until ordered to stop at 3:01 PM.
Operation Dragoon: Southern France
After repairs in Plymouth, Texas trained for the invasion of southern France. On July 16, she sailed for the Mediterranean Sea. She arrived in Taranto, Italy, on July 27. On August 11, Texas sailed to the French Riviera.
She arrived off Saint-Tropez on the night of August 14. On August 15, she began her bombardment at 4:44 AM. She fired at a battery of five 15 cm guns. Visibility was very poor, so Texas used her radar to find her position and targets. The expected strong resistance did not happen, and the troops moved inland quickly. Texas's gunfire was no longer needed, so she left France on August 17. After a stop in Sicily, she sailed for New York, arriving on September 14, 1944.
Iwo Jima and Okinawa
In New York, Texas had her main gun barrels replaced. After a short training trip, she sailed to the Pacific Ocean in November. She arrived off Iwo Jima on February 16, 1945, three days before the landings. She spent three days bombing Japanese defenses. After the Marines landed on February 19, Texas provided gunfire support for them until February 21.
Texas left Iwo Jima on March 7 and went to Ulithi Atoll to prepare for the invasion of Okinawa (called Operation Iceberg). She arrived in the Ryukyu Islands on March 26. Texas moved close to Okinawa and began her bombardment that same day. For six days, she fired her main guns to prepare for the landings on April 1.
Each evening, Texas moved away from Okinawa, but returned each morning to continue firing. The Japanese on shore did not fire back much. Only air units attacked, sending several kamikaze planes. Texas was not damaged by these attacks. On April 1, after six days of bombing, troops landed. For almost two months, Texas stayed in Okinawan waters, supporting the troops and fighting off enemy air attacks. She shot down one kamikaze plane herself and helped shoot down three others. On May 14, she left Okinawa for the Philippines.
End of World War II
On May 17, Texas arrived at Leyte in the Philippines. She stayed there until Japan surrendered on August 15. She returned to Okinawa in late August and stayed until September 23. On that day, she sailed for the United States with troops returning home as part of Operation Magic Carpet.
The battleship brought her passengers to San Pedro, California, on October 15. She celebrated Navy Day there on October 27. She then made two more trips between California and Oahu in November, and a third in December, bringing more troops home. On January 21, 1946, Texas left San Pedro and sailed to Norfolk, arriving on February 13. She began preparing to be taken out of service. On June 18, she was officially placed in reserve at Baltimore, Maryland.
Museum Ship Status
On April 17, 1947, the Battleship Texas Commission was created by the Texas Legislature to take care of the ship. Their first job was to raise $225,000 to tow her from Baltimore to San Jacinto. On March 17, 1948, Texas began her journey to her new home near the San Jacinto Monument, at San Jacinto State Park. She arrived on April 20 and was given to the State of Texas the next day to be a permanent memorial. Texas was officially taken out of service on April 21, and her name was removed from the Navy list on April 30, 1948.
Texas was the first battleship in the U.S. to become a permanent museum. When she was given to Texas, she was made the flagship of the Texas Navy.
Challenges and Repairs
The money raised by the Battleship Texas Commission was not enough to keep the ship in good condition. Years of not enough care led to cracks, water leaks, and rusting steel. The paint inside started to peel, and pipes open to the sea broke, flooding parts of the ship.
By 1968, the wooden main deck was so rotten that rainwater leaked into the ship. Replacing the wood was too expensive, so they replaced it with concrete. But the concrete also cracked, and water still leaked in. In 1971, three groups donated $50,000 to help sandblast and paint the hull. Newspapers reported that Texas was "under attack" from neglect.
Despite these problems, Texas was named a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark in 1975 and a National Historic Landmark in 1976.
Transfer to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
By 1983, the State Legislature decided to give control of the ship to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). TPWD hired experts to check the ship. They found that the ship's hull was leaking badly in many places, and many parts were full of rainwater. The experts said the ship needed to go to a dry dock for major repairs to the hull and deck.
After five years of raising money, $15 million was collected for the dry dock repairs.
1988–1990 Dry Dock Period
On December 13, 1988, Texas was pulled from her berth by six tugboats. It was a difficult journey to Todd Shipyards in Galveston, Texas. During the trip, she started taking on water, and the crew had to pump it out constantly.
Texas entered the dry dock on December 13. She underwent 14 months of repairs to restore her to her 1945 condition. Workers sandblasted paint, replaced tons of rusted metal, and fixed weakened parts inside the ship. The concrete deck was removed, and a new pinewood deck was installed later. In total, over 375,000 pounds of steel were replaced, and more than 40,000 rivets were sealed on the underwater hull.
On February 24, 1990, Texas moved from the dry dock to Green's Bayou for more repairs, including the new wood deck and some of her 40 mm guns. On July 26, the ship returned to her berth at San Jacinto. She officially reopened to the public on September 8, 1990. Since then, staff and volunteers have worked to restore the ship's interior.
Dry Berth Project
After many years of planning, TPWD decided to place Texas in a permanent dry berth. This means she would be out of the water to prevent further damage from the corrosive water. In 2007, Texas voters approved $25 million for this project.
The Battleship TEXAS Foundation (BTF) also needs to raise $4 million in private funds to help. Experts checked the ship and found that her main structure is strong enough to be supported in a dry berth.
In March 2009, funds were released for the dry berthing project. A company called AECOM was hired to design the dry berth. The project is still ongoing, with efforts focused on repairs to the ship. In May 2019, it was announced that Texas would undergo $35 million in repairs and then move to a new location. As of August 26, 2019, Texas has been closed to the public for these preparations.
Leaks
In June 2010, a leak caused Texas to sink a few feet. A broken pump allowed water to enter, creating a second leak. After the pump was replaced, 105,000 gallons of water were pumped out. A temporary fix was put in place.
On June 9, 2012, about 30 new leaks were found, causing the ship to close to visitors for three weeks. These leaks were fixed.
On June 12, 2017, a 6-by-8-inch hole below the waterline caused the ship to tilt. Emergency repairs were made, and crews pumped out about 2,000 gallons of water per minute for over 15 hours.
Commemoration
Texas was the first and oldest of the eight U.S. battleships that became permanent floating museums. The others include Massachusetts, Alabama, North Carolina, New Jersey, Missouri, Wisconsin, and Iowa. Texas is also one of the oldest surviving modern naval ships, turning 100 years old on March 12, 2014.
Radio groups celebrate Texas yearly during Museum Ship Weekend and Pearl Harbor Day. Amateur radio operators use the callsign NA5DV, similar to her original callsign NADV.
Awards and Honors
Texas received awards for her service in the Tampico Incident, World War I, and World War II. For her service in World War II, Texas earned five battle stars, one for each major campaign she was in.
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| Mexican Service Medal | World War I Victory Medal | ||
| American Defense Service Medal with "A" device |
American Campaign Medal | Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with 2 stars |
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| European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 3 stars |
World War II Victory Medal | Navy Occupation Service Medal with "ASIA" clasp |
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Texas in Movies and Games
Texas has appeared in movies. Her first small role was in the 1937 film Boy of the Streets. Some scenes for the 1966 movie The Sand Pebbles were filmed on the ship, but they were not used in the final movie.
Texas was also a main part of the story in the 1985 science fiction book The Ayes of Texas by Daniel da Cruz, who served on the ship during World War II.
You can even find Texas as a playable map in the video game Call of Duty: WWII.
Images for kids
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Texas, photographed in 2014 in her berth at the San Jacinto Battleground, near Houston. She is wearing Measure 21 camouflage as she did in 1945.
See also
In Spanish: USS Texas (BB-35) para niños
