Navy Battleship USS Texas Is Making the Ultimate of Comebacks
The USS Texas, a New York-class battleship commissioned in 1914, is undergoing a $75 million restoration to preserve its historical significance. The project began in 2022, with over 700 tons of steel replaced, and was completed in early 2024 when the ship returned to the water.
What You Need to Know: The USS Texas, a New York-class battleship commissioned in 1914, is undergoing a $75 million restoration to preserve its historical significance. The project began in 2022, with over 700 tons of steel replaced, and was completed in early 2024 when the ship returned to the water.
-Now docked at Galveston’s Pier 21, Texas will be transformed into a high-tech educational hub with interactive exhibits, teaching visitors about naval warfare, American history, and technological advancements.
-The restored battleship is expected to reopen to the public in late 2025.
USS Texas Reborn: $75 Million Restoration Complete for Historic Battleship
The USS Texas is a New York-class battleship that was commissioned in 1914, more than 100 years ago.
It was the end of the First World War, and the world was in the throes of the age of battleships. This steel beast remains in service to this day. No, she isn’t prowling enemy waters and delivering killing blows upon enemy formations. She is a museum ship. But, given her age, her owners have decided to refurbish her.
Work for refurbishing the mighty battleship commenced in 2022 when the warship was moved to the drydock in Galveston, Texas. This began what is a seventy-five million dollar restoration project of a legendary warship. Upgrades to the ship were not merely superficial. This was a complete overhaul of the boat, meaning that everything from the electrical grid to the structural integrity of the great warship was enhanced.
Indeed, more than 700 tons of steel were replaced.
What Was Done to This Battleship?
In March of this year, Texas was undocked from its drydock in Galveston and made it back into the water for the first time in almost two years. The moment was one of celebration. After all, the restoration project was complete.
More importantly, however, this battleship would live on. Its restoration was a testament to the enduring nature of this steel behemoth.
The Texas will finally go from being an aging, decommissioned ship of war and become a high-tech educational hub. Technological, interactive exhibits will be installed throughout the warship and audiences will be invited onto the warship to learn its magnificent history and marvel at this blast from America’s bygone past.
Everything that could have been preserved was preserved by the restorationists. For instance, the Measure 21 camouflage that defined U.S. battleship hulls in the Second World War was maintained. This means that the USS Texas is today the only warship in existence in a World War II paint scheme.
Bring Her Home
The Texas has since been relocated to Galveston’s Pier 21 for the “Bring Her Home!” campaign. The ship is set to serve as the centerpiece for understanding and teaching naval warfare history, American history, and technological advancements in naval architecture and tactics over the last century, a lot has changed since 1914, as you can imagine.
The Battleship Texas Foundation’s website indicates that they are, “targeting late 2025 for [a] grand reopening,” of the warship to the public. Thus, at that time, anyone who shows up will be able to get a tour of this great warship.
Author Experience and Expertise: Brandon J. Weichert
Brandon J. Weichert, a National Interest national security analyst, is a former Congressional staffer and geopolitical analyst who is a contributor at The Washington Times, the Asia Times, and The-Pipeline. He is the author of Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His next book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine, is due October 22 from Encounter Books. Weichert can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.
All images are Creative Commons or Shutterstock.
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