The USS Texas Finally Has a Permanent Home
The last surviving battleship to have served in both World Wars has secured a new permanent home at Galveston’s Pier 15, following extensive restoration and amid local controversy.
Work is almost complete on the former United States Navy New York-class battleship USS Texas (BB-35), and this week, it was announced that the famed warship, the only surviving battlewagon to see service in both World Wars, will be permanently berthed at Pier 15 at the Port of Galveston next year. It was a hard-fought battle for the historic vessel, which survived enemy fire as well as the hostile elements.
The USS Texas Is Staying in Galveston
On Tuesday, the Galveston Wharves Board of Trustees unanimously approved an agreement with the Battleship Texas Foundation, which maintains and manages BB-35 as a floating museum. It ended nine months of tense negotiations to find a permanent home for the battleship after restoration work is completed in early 2026.
Since 2022, more than 300,000 man-hours have gone into refurbishing the warship at the Gulf Copper Dry Dock & Rig Repair in Galveston. The State of Texas and the Battleship Texas Foundation have covered all of the restoration costs.
“We’re proud to have finalized an agreement with the Galveston Wharves Board securing Pier 15 as the new home of the Battleship Texas,” Foundation CEO Tony Gregory told Chron.com in a statement.
“As restoration work continues across the channel, we look forward to relocating her next year and continuing our mission to create a world-class historic destination,” added Gregory. “The Battleship Texas, America’s last surviving battleship to serve in both World War I and World War II, is a powerful symbol of our nation’s history, and permanently berthing her [in] Galveston is a true honor.”
Although the future berthing is now in place, much work will still need to be completed. That will include a mooring plan to determine how USS Texas, once at Pier 15, will be able to endure up to 19 feet of floodwaters and winds up to 160 miles per hour. The plan will require the approval of the Port of Galveston, the US Army Corps of Engineers, and the US Coast Guard, according to Chron.com.
Placing the warship at Pier 15 is a compromise, as the foundation had sought to have the warship at the more desirable Pier 21. Still, local businesses objected over concerns that the ship would impact harbor views. That left the fate of the historic vessel in doubt for much of last year.
The foundation ruled out moving the USS Texas to Seawolf Park, home to the Galveston Naval Museum, due to multiple concerns. At the forefront were the costs of dredging the channel to accommodate the battleship, but there were also disputes over the ownership of the vessel should it be relocated to the park.
The new home at Pier 15 will be located near two cruise ship terminals, providing easy access to those arriving in Galveston by sea.
The History of the USS Texas
Fortunately, the USS Texas has emerged victorious in its battle against the elements and secured a new permanent berth. It is simply another chapter for a warship that saw service in both World Wars, including supporting the D-Day landings in June 1944, followed by the Allied invasion of southern France two months later. USS Texas returned to the Pacific and provided naval gunfire support during the Battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
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 has been located in the Houston Ship Channel near the San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site. There, Texan 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 seen only 80,000 to 90,000 visitors a year, far below what was needed for it to be self-sustaining. It is hoped that following the restorations, the ship will be able to draw the visitors to Pier 15.
Only time will tell.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a thirty-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. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.
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