USS Texas BB-35 it's now or never

[OldHoodoo]

The USS Texas BB-35 is not just a Texas shrine, it represents the last of it's kind and as such has both national and international value. However, the Texas has been pretty much put under the responsibility of Texans and it represents a major part of Texas's tourist attractiveness as well as something all Texans can be proud...the ship has a proud name. However it is reaching it's absolute crisis point now. The underwater portions of the hull MUST be replaced NOW, patching will not do. There is already some money already available to probably do the minimum job but it is you who must contact your Texas reps and senators to make sure that already allocated money is spent well and put into those direct repairs. More money will be needed to create the Texas into the shrine and attraction she should be. Fix the Texas or she will be gone. Fix the Texas and she will last another 50 years in the water, hundreds of years if placed in a permanent dry dock. The Texas should be one of the artifacts that represents the pride of Texas. It helps draw in visitors, saving the Texas is good for business and business should be striving to save the Texas. I am surprised that the Texas has no celebrity spokespersons in a town and State that are full of celebrities. Get out the word...we are losing our State and National History. The Texas is a national shrine, it goes back to the days long before the currently preserved WWII battleships existed. The Texas is the last of the dreadnoughts in the world, back when the battleship was the not only the symbol of world power but was was the representation in reality of what Teddy Roosevelt called "the big stick" policy. Stop thinking of the present for a minute and think of the future. Future generations of Houstonians, Texans, and Americans needs this ship, Houstonians ought to take the leadership role and it should be developed to it's full potential to help the economy of Houston and Texas and our National Heritage. Saving the Texas is a absolutely great investment in the Houston region and the State and of course the fabric of our nation.

Al Sumrall
co-author: Old Hoodoo, The USS Texas, America's First Battleship (1895-1911)--- This was the ancient battleship that gave it's name to the USS Texas BB-35 in 1911
And there is one other ship equally important to this nation that should be saved and has reached it's crisis point: The USS Olympia of 1898 see the National Trust for Historic Preservation USS Olympia site....the Olympia is slipping away and both it and the USS Texas are the final links in the chain to the periods that these ships served....and the only other ship that ranks with them in historical siginficance is the USS Constitution of 1812. Don't let our history fade away. Are there any true patriots left...it is up to you.

[RiponredTJ]

I'm not even an American, but I agree completely.

North Americans need to do a lot more to preserve their true and authentic historic artifacts in order to ensure people that come here understand what our two great countries are all about!

[OldHoodoo]

Interesting enough RiponredTJ, the USS Texas also served for a time in the 6th Battle Squadron of the Royal Navy in World War I. The dreadnought HMS Canada was serving in the first battle squadron at the time. It had the same general gun/turret layout of the Texas so they were very similar battleships. There are no British dreadnoughts that have survived so even the Commonwealth of Nations (which includes your Canada of course) ought to have a stake in seeing that the USS Texas survives! Help get out the SOS!
Al
alsumrall2001@yahoo.com

[RiponredTJ]

So what's the plan to get this done?

[OldHoodoo]

The Texas belongs to the State of Texas but the actual brains of the Texas preservation effort is the Battleship Texas Foundation.
http://www.battleshiptexas.org/
I know that there is about 25 million dollars (from a bond I believe) that is currently on hold as the intent is to build an infrastructure around the Texas....it's my understanding that the dilemma is for The BTF is that they have literally a sinking ship on their hands and if they can use all the money for the Texas's hull, it will probably take it all, they will not have enough for anything else. So part of the issue is to make the decision that the Texas has reached a point of no return if the hull repairs are not prioritized. Of course new funding sources will help...so the best thing people can do is contact the BTF and go from there. My expertise is not the Texas, but an even more urgent problem with the USS Olympia of 1898 (I am tied in with the main folks trying to save the Olympia from a national perspective--my book got me in with them=--but we are literally re-inventing the wheel and time is running out fast. The Olympia is an orphan, and as a result there is no money, but a lot of ignorance and apathy. The museum currently having the Olympia in it's trust is only doing emergency repairs trying to hold the Olympia afloat until someone else picks up the ship. Four entities are vying for it but they have no real funds and because the Olympia's plight was only recently publicized they are behind the curve. Folks supporting the Texas should be encouraged that there is infrastructure in terms of organization for the Texas, so it's just a matter of pitching in with the existing effort but also raising awareness, putting the pressure on so to speak. The Olympia and Texas are very similar in one way, they can no longer be taken out of their slips as they are not at all seaworthy, they need major repairs in situ. Both these great ships can still be saved, but time is running out.