The Texas Battleship Foundation aims to have the ship fully restored and ready for visitors by next year—marking a whole new era for this iconic battleship, the last of its kind.
And now for some good news! The USS Texas (BB-35), a New York-class battleship that has the distinction of serving in both world wars, has found a permanent home after floating aimlessly for the last several months.
Currently, the USS Texas is undergoing extensive restoration and retrofit at the Galveston shipyard, with the restoration expected to be complete by the end of the year. The struggle to even get the deteriorating, iconic warship into the shipyard was real. Once the important repair work began, a new problem arose: Where would the Texas be permanently docked?
It seemed as though no one wanted the battleship.
The Texas Finds a Home in Galveston
Because of the size of the warship, the options for docking the Texas in an affordable manner were limited. The Port of Galveston, where the ship was already undergoing maintenance, made the most sense.
Unfortunately, there was initially much pushback from some business elements in Galveston. Notably, some prominent restaurant owners worried that the massive ship parked at the dock would obstruct the water views of their establishments and negatively impact their businesses by driving potential customers away.
Finally, however, the Galveston Wharves Board of Trustees approved the permanent settlement of the USS Texas at Pier 15. As the promotional material reads, it is just a “short walk from Pier 21 and the historic Galveston Strand.”
The non-profit Battleship Texas Foundation has long argued that the benefits to Galveston by having the Texas parked in their port far outweighs the concerns of local restauranteurs. Indeed, it is believed that the presence of this legendary warship being open to the public as a floating museum will enhance the Galveston economy, as it will promote tourism, enhance local historical education, and generate much-needed buzz for a port that is already slated to be the fourth-busiest in the country.
The USS Texas’ journey to museum ship was a long one. Commissioned in 1914, the warship had a varied and interesting service life. During the First World War, it patrolled the North Sea for German U-boats; then, a quarter of a century later, it shelled the beaches of Normandy on D-Day, preparing them for the Allied landing force. The ship was retired from service in 1948, to become the nation’s first permanent battleship museum at San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site near Houston, Texas. There it stood for 70 years.
Exposure to the elements over the decades, unfortunately, forced the ship to undergo refit and repair. In 2017, a gigantic hole opened in its hull—causing a severe list, with the ship taking on 2,000 gallons of water per minute. Emergency pumps kept it afloat. But the crisis underscored the need for intervention.
The Texas’ Journey Towards a Permanent Home
In August 2022, the Texas was towed from its place in San Jacinto to Gulf Copper Shipyard in Galveston to begin restoration work. The state of Texas committed $60 million, supplemented by another $15 million fundraising campaign led by the Battleship Texas Foundation. These funds were used to address decades of rust, structural decay, and overall neglect.
The initial phase of the Texas restoration project was completed in March 2024. Texas was dry-docked for 18 months, during which workers replaced over 700 tons of steel, patched the hull, and applied a fresh coat of Navy Blue 5-N paint to match its 1945 appearance. Repairing the venerable old battleship took 300,000 man-hours. On March 5, 2025, a year after its restoration project began, the Texas was refloated and moved to Pier A at Gulf Cooper for the second phase of the restoration.
Texas will need another 18-24 months to focus on topside repairs and enhancements. Workers are set to replace the ship’s pine deck after they sandblast and recoat the underlying steel. The superstructure, including the aft fire control tower and main mast, is being restored, with radar antennas and structural supports refurbished and reproduced. Meanwhile, its anti-aircraft guns, such as the 5-inch and 40mm Bofors mounts, have been removed for off-site restoration, with six 5-inch guns and one quad 40mm already reinstalled last year.
The Texas Battleship Foundation aims to have the ship fully restored and ready for visitors by next year—marking a whole new era for this iconic battleship, the last of its kind.
About the Author: Brandon J. Weichert
Brandon J. Weichert, a Senior National Security Editor at The National Interest as well as a contributor at Popular Mechanics, who consults regularly with various government institutions and private organizations on geopolitical issues. Weichert’s writings have appeared in multiple publications, including the Washington Times, National Review, The American Spectator, MSN, the Asia Times, and countless others. His books include Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His newest book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine is available for purchase wherever books are sold. He can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.
Image: Shutterstock / Wirestock Creators.
