Battleship Restoration - USS Texas, BB35

[cajun lathe]

I am an Army Vet. but when the USS Orleck came into Lake Charles, La. I went to do volunteer work, it was there a few months before I went, when I walked in, they ask if I could weld, so spent the next 6 months welding, before I ever went below deck, we got the machine shop going and I made some parts for things on the ship, we got everything working then they opened it to the public, people did not seen to be that interested, maybe it they made it look like a giant cell phone it would have worked out better, the city did not want it, they were going to put in in the lake (lake Charles, name of the lake at I-10 and the 210 by pass) would have been a great looking sight from the bridge view , but the city though that a Hurricane museum would be a better Idea, then that did not happen, so now it is Florida being restored.

 

[verbotenwhisky]

BTW, settling in for the evening with your screen name being important. I have an excellent Old Fashioned at my side.

First, the San Jacinto Battleground State Park: The Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife does not want the battleship at the park. Among the reasons are that she had nothing to do with Texas gaining independence from Mexico and the slip that was dug in 1948 is in a spot that research revealed was a campsite for part of General Sam Houston’s army. The plan is to restore that area to its pre-battleship condition.

For those unfamiliar with Texas history, General Houston’s army defeated Mexican General Santa Ana in the area that is now designated the San Jacinto Battleground State Park.

Negotiations with the City and Port Authority of Galveston have been challenging. After walking away from negotiations they decided to continue discussions with the Battleship Texas Foundation (BTF) a few days later. The BTF has from what I hear made a big effort to help the city and port authority understand the multitude of things that BTF needs and wants. Dockside land is an issue. Tillman Fertitta owns all of the land in the vicinity of the original pier, known as Pier 21, where we thought the ship would be moored. For anyone who doesn’t know about Fertitta, he owns Landry’s, Joe’s Crab Shack, The Aquarium, the Houston Rockets, casinos; the list is long and he isn’t known for giving anything away for free. Parking is already limited and expensive near the waterfront and the presence of the battleship would only make it worse. There are additional possibilities in Galveston but those that know aren’t saying where so far. The ship really needs to be in Galveston since the tourist traffic is already there. That’s about all I know right now. Deep water locations are preferred by far because of the cost of dredging and maintaining a channel into a shallow area. The plan is to have the ship dry docked every 20-30 years in the future so the current massive effort will not be wasted. Best guess by the unwashed at this point is that the bill will surpass $70 million by the time the ship is open for regular visitation.

Thanks for the update, much appreciated, I am looking forward to visiting the ship again..

 

[David2011]

I am an Army Vet. but when the USS Orleck came into Lake Charles, La. I went to do volunteer work, it was there a few months before I went, when I walked in, they ask if I could weld, so spent the next 6 months welding, before I ever went below deck, we got the machine shop going and I made some parts for things on the ship, we got everything working then they opened it to the public, people did not seen to be that interested, maybe it they made it look like a giant cell phone it would have worked out better, the city did not want it, they were going to put in in the lake (lake Charles, name of the lake at I-10 and the 210 by pass) would have been a great looking sight from the bridge view , but the city though that a Hurricane museum would be a better Idea, then that did not happen, so now it is Florida being restored.

That’s a shame that the community and the public were so apathetic. Your service to our country and to the ship are appreciated. Thank you! Unfortunately you’re right about making it look more like a cell phone. The Orleck certainly has enough mid sized guns for visitors to operate to capture their imaginations. It’s so hard to compete with electronic devices.

 

[finsruskw]

That’s a shame that the community and the public were so apathetic. Your service to our country and to the ship are appreciated. Thank you! Unfortunately you’re right about making it look more like a cell phone. The Orleck certainly has enough mid sized guns for visitors to operate to capture their imaginations. It’s so hard to compete with electronic devices.

I feel ships are much more interesting below decks!

 

[verbotenwhisky]

That’s a shame that the community and the public were so apathetic. Your service to our country and to the ship are appreciated. Thank you! Unfortunately you’re right about making it look more like a cell phone. The Orleck certainly has enough mid sized guns for visitors to operate to capture their imaginations. It’s so hard to compete with electronic devices.

When my kids were growing up we did a great deal of scouting and took the scout dens and Troop to the Texas on numerous trips, it was always a good trip. My daughter was in the sae scouts and got her Quarter Master and My son was in the BSA and the Sea Scouts. I remember our family going to the USS Texas one weekend, my son was a teenager, and I explained the parts of the ship, what the frame numbers were and how it operated, as we were leaving the ship headed home he said to me I want to be in the Coast Guard or the Navy and I said we'll see. My son is serving as an electricians mate on the USS George Washington CVN73 currently, to say I am proud of him would be a gross understatement and it was the numerous trips to the Taxes and the Lexington without the phone in hand that inspires him, we need these ships and we need to be reminded from time to time how valuable they are.

I hope the Texas finds a home in Galveston, I look forward to seeing all the work they have done to her.

 

[David2011]

The technology below decks is very interesting. Just wondering, has the shift toward everything being instant gratification and people no longer repairing what they own made them uninterested in the mechanics of a warship? If they don't even own hand tools they probably don't understand what they're looking at. Those of us participating here have above average mechanical abilities and are easily awed by huge mechanical things. People that don't know what a dynamo or a steam boiler is are unlikely to be impressed.

 

[David2011]

Verbotenwhisky, that is an awesome story! Thank you for sharing. I'll pass it along to the Battleship Texas Foundation.

 

[pavyan]

I noticed this topic a few days ago and I read it with great admiration and great pleasure.

This is because - even though I am Polish and live thousands of miles away from you and the Pacific - I have been interested in WWII since I was a teenager, and especially in the Pacific War, i.e. your American war with the Japanese.

At first, it was bad, but later... The Japs did not realize that they had kicked the Giant and it would end badly for them. It only took some time for the Giant to fully wake up and gain strength - and then it was over for them.

I remember that I once knew the exact dates, course of battles, sea battles, battles for islands, names of ships and commanders.
A few names of soldiers still stick in my memory, Wade McClusky, James Dolittle, George Gay, Lanphier...

I am constantly fascinated by the technology of the time, achievements in the construction of huge battleships, their armament, excellent planes, fighters or bombers, and so on.
For example, the proximity fuse for anti-aircraft shells of the 5"/38 universal naval gun - the history of the development of this fuse is an incredible but true story. Or, for example, such a masterpiece as the artillery calculator for the largest caliber guns - a mechanical computer that took into account and calculated in real time a dozen or so variables; even temperature/density of the air, ship rolling and precession... And there was something to consider: a 406mm shell flew 24 miles in a long 1.5 minutes...
I am full of admiration, although unfortunately all this was used to kill - but it was always military needs that were the lever of technical progress.
Accept my great respect for your living veterans and fallen heroes of World War II, fighting both in the Pacific and in Europe.

 

[David2011]

Thank you, Pavyan. Your time of flight information made me look a little deeper. While 406mm is 16", the USS Texas has 14"/355mm guns so the range is reduced. The impressive data from your information is the average speed of the projectile which is similar for the two guns. That is an average speed of 960 miles per hour or 1545 kph.

 

[pavyan]

Thanks for the info
Sorry, I was a bit imprecise - but I meant in general, the largest guns used on an American ship, i.e. the battleship USS Missouri and its 16-inch guns.