Few warships in history have enjoyed as enduring a legacy as that of the USS Texas (BB-35). She is still a living reminder today of the progression of naval warfare, technology, and the enduring spirit of the sailors who crewed her. Built in 1914 and commissioned in 1912, Texas was among the most formidable weapons of her time, armed with ten 14-inch guns and able to fire 1,400-pound shells 12 miles. She was a sensational advertisement for American sea power and started a career punctuated by milestones that would make naval history. Texas’s early years soon placed her at the center of world affairs.
Early in her commissioning, she was sent to Mexican waters during the Tampico Affair to support operations off Veracruz. Her first overseas deployment previewed one spent on the forward perimeters of international war. When America entered World War I, Texas sailed with the British Grand Fleet into the North Sea. Although she saw no action herself, her work was crucial in convoy escorting and particularly in being a witness to the 1918 surrender of the German High Seas Fleet—a victory without firing a single shot, but the greatest naval surrender ever. Between the wars, Texas was at the forefront of naval innovation.
In 1919, she was the first American battleship to launch an airplane when Commander Edward McDonnell took off in a Sopwith Camel from a turret-mounted ramp—a milestone in the history of naval aviation. She also tested anti-aircraft guns, fire control, and early air search radar, setting the foundations that would characterize battleships in the modern era.
As the U.S. From 1927 to 1931, Texas hosted presidents, officials, and even Charles Lindbergh, establishing itself as a national symbol of prestige. During World War II, Texas was used in some of the most vicious amphibious fights of the war.
She was the only Allied battleship to participate in all four of the great landings: North Africa, Normandy, Southern France, and the Pacific battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Her Normandy crew carefully devised an ingenious ploy to extend her gun range, intentionally flooding torpedo blisters to tilt the ship to deliver fire to advancing forces further inland. Texas survived, in the Battle of Cherbourg, a German shell that failed to detonate, which underscored both her misadventures and resilience.
In the Pacific, her guns shielded troops on Iwo Jima and Okinawa and received incessant kamikaze attacks. Captain Charles Baker had his crew at battle stations for 50 consecutive days during Okinawa, a demonstration of their endurance and discipline. Her anti-aircraft guns fired nearly 6,000 rounds, and her crew saw the historic flag-raising ceremony on Mount Suribachi, an event forever etched in their record of service.
Not all aspects of life in Texas were war. Sailors had opportunities for camaraderie with sports, games, and performances. Routine athletic contests—boxing, wrestling, football, and rowing—were conducted, sometimes against local civilian teams. Movie nights, concerts, and touring performers injected morale and entertainment onto the decks of the ship. More than half the crew played on athletic squads, attesting to the way common events kept high morale throughout long deployments. After the war, Texas barely escaped the same destiny as most of her generation.
Whereas others were destroyed or scrapped, she was donated to the State of Texas in 1948 and was commissioned as the country’s first battleship memorial museum. Docked on the San Jacinto Battleground, she gave the general public a tangible connection to naval history while honoring the men and women who served aboard her.
Maintaining this titanic relic has been an ongoing headache, one embraced by generations of Texans and naval enthusiasts alike. Past restoration efforts aimed to preserve Texas for future generations. A $35 million repair project plugged leaks and delayed maintenance, relocating her to a Galveston dry dock.
Plans call for bringing her back to 1945 splendor, with climate-controlled spaces and interactive exhibits. Local sponsors and the Battleship Texas Foundation envision a museum through which individuals can live history, reading about the ship and the courage of its crew.
The USS Texas is a living history of naval acumen, the bravery of the men who served on her, and the importance of conserving the past. Her decks experienced the rise and fall of war, and by continued restoration, her story will keep educating and inspiring future generations of visitors.