USS Texas (BB-35)

USS Texas (BB-35) was a New York-class battleship built by the Newport News Shipbuilding company and commissioned on March 12, 1914, under the command of Captain Albert W. Grant. The ship was the second United States Navy vessel to be named after the state of Texas, following the USS Texas (1892), and played a significant role in both World War I and World War II, earning a total of five Battle Stars for its service. The ship's construction was overseen by the United States Navy Bureau of Construction and Repair, with Rear Admiral Washington L. Capps serving as the bureau's chief. The USS Texas (BB-35) was also one of the first United States Navy ships to be equipped with radio communication systems, developed by Guglielmo Marconi and Lee de Forest.

● Design and Construction

The USS Texas (BB-35) was designed by the United States Navy Bureau of Construction and Repair, with a focus on creating a ship that could withstand the rigors of modern naval warfare, as seen in the Battle of Tsushima and the Italo-Turkish War. The ship's design was influenced by the Dreadnought-style battleships of the Royal Navy, such as the HMS Dreadnought and the HMS Orion, and featured a main armament of ten 12-inch guns mounted in five twin turrets, designed by Elswick Ordnance Company and Vickers-Armstrongs. The ship's construction was also influenced by the work of William H. Gardiner, a prominent United States Navy engineer, and Nathaniel G. Herreshoff, a renowned naval architect. The USS Texas (BB-35) was built at the Newport News Shipbuilding company, with Rear Admiral David W. Taylor serving as the company's chief naval architect, and was launched on May 18, 1912, with Eleanor Vaughan serving as the ship's sponsor.

● Service History

The USS Texas (BB-35) began its service in the United States Navy as a member of the Atlantic Fleet, participating in training exercises and maneuvers with other ships, including the USS New York (BB-34), the USS Oklahoma (BB-37), and the USS Nevada (BB-36). The ship also made several port visits, including stops at New York City, Boston, and Norfolk, Virginia, where it was visited by President Woodrow Wilson and Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels. In 1914, the ship was deployed to Mexico to support the United States Marine Corps during the Occupation of Veracruz, where it worked alongside the USS Florida (BM-9), the USS Utah (BB-31), and the USS Arkansas (BB-33). The ship's crew also included notable officers, such as Captain Harry E. Yarnell and Commander William F. Halsey Jr., who would later go on to play important roles in World War II.

● World War II

During World War II, the USS Texas (BB-35) played a significant role in the Allied victory, participating in several key battles and campaigns, including the North African Campaign, the Invasion of Normandy, and the Battle of Iwo Jima. The ship was part of the Western Task Force during the Invasion of North Africa, working alongside the USS Massachusetts (BB-59), the USS Alabama (BB-60), and the USS South Dakota (BB-57). The ship also provided gunfire support during the D-Day landings, firing on German positions near Omaha Beach and Utah Beach, in support of the 1st Infantry Division (United States), the 29th Infantry Division (United States), and the 90th Infantry Division (United States). The ship's crew included notable officers, such as Captain Charles A. Baker and Commander James H. Doyle, who would later go on to play important roles in the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

● Preservation and Museum Ship

After the end of World War II, the USS Texas (BB-35) was decommissioned and placed in reserve, but was later saved from scrapping and converted into a museum ship and memorial to the ship's crew and the United States Navy. The ship is now moored in Houston, Texas, near the San Jacinto Monument, and is operated by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Battleship Texas Foundation. The ship has been designated as a National Historic Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and has also been recognized by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the United States Navy Memorial. The ship's preservation has been supported by several notable individuals, including President George H.W. Bush, Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, and Representative Gene Green.

● Technical Characteristics

The USS Texas (BB-35) was a New York-class battleship with a displacement of 27,000 tons and a length of 573 feet, designed by the United States Navy Bureau of Construction and Repair and built by the Newport News Shipbuilding company. The ship was powered by Babcock & Wilcox boilers and General Electric turbines, which produced 28,100 horsepower and gave the ship a top speed of 21 knots. The ship's main armament consisted of ten 12-inch guns mounted in five twin turrets, designed by Elswick Ordnance Company and Vickers-Armstrongs, and the ship also carried a secondary armament of twenty-one 5-inch guns and four 21-inch torpedo tubes, designed by Hyde Windlass Company and E.W. Bliss Company. The ship's crew consisted of 1,042 officers and enlisted men, and the ship was equipped with radio communication systems, developed by Guglielmo Marconi and Lee de Forest, and sonar systems, developed by the United States Navy and General Electric.

● Career Highlights

The USS Texas (BB-35) had a distinguished career in the United States Navy, earning a total of five Battle Stars for its service in World War I and World War II. The ship participated in several key battles and campaigns, including the North African Campaign, the Invasion of Normandy, and the Battle of Iwo Jima, and provided gunfire support during the D-Day landings. The ship's crew included notable officers, such as Captain Harry E. Yarnell and Commander William F. Halsey Jr., who would later go on to play important roles in World War II and the Korean War. The ship was also recognized for its service by the United States Navy, the United States Marine Corps, and the United States Coast Guard, and was awarded the World War I Victory Medal, the American Defense Service Medal, and the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal. The ship's legacy continues to be celebrated by the Battleship Texas Foundation and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and the ship remains a popular tourist attraction in Houston, Texas.

Category:New York-class battleships