USS Texas(BB-35)

[LaoSexMachine]

USS Texas (BB-35), the second ship of the United States Navy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Navy) named in honor of the U.S. state (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._state) of Texas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas), is a New York-class (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_class_battleship) battleship (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battleship). The ship was launched on 18 May 1912 and commissioned on 12 March 1914.
Soon after her commissioning, Texas saw action in Mexican waters following the "Tampico Incident (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tampico_Affair)" and escorted Allied convoys across the Atlantic Ocean (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_Ocean) during World War I (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_I). When the United States formally entered World War II (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II) in 1941, Texas resumed her role of escorting war convoys (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Atlantic_%281939-1945%29) across the Atlantic, and she later shelled Axis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axis_powers_of_World_War_II)-held beaches for the North African campaign (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_African_campaign) and the Normandy Landings (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Overlord) before being transferred to the Pacific Theater (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Theatre_of_World_War_II) late in 1944 to provide naval gunfire support (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_gunfire_support) during the Battle of Iwo Jima (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Iwo_Jima) and Battle of Okinawa (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Okinawa).
Texas was decommissioned (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_decommissioning) in 1948, having earned a total of five battle stars (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_star) for service in World War II, and is presently a museum ship near Houston (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houston), Texas. Among the world's remaining battleships, Texas is notable for being the oldest remaining dreadnought (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreadnought) battleship.[A 1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Texas_%28BB-35%29#cite_note-7) She is also noteworthy for being one of only six remaining ships to have served in both World War I and World War II.[8] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Texas_%28BB-35%29#cite_note-nrhpinv2-8)[A 2] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Texas_%28BB-35%29#cite_note-9) Among U.S.-built battleships, Texas is notable for her sizable number of firsts: the first U.S. battleship to mount anti-aircraft guns (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-aircraft_warfare), the first U.S. ship to control gunfire with directors and range-keepers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire-control_system) (analog forerunners of today's computers), the first U.S. battleship to launch an aircraft[9] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Texas_%28BB-35%29#cite_note-HNSVG-10), the first to receive the CXAM (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CXAM_radar) commercial radar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radar) in the U.S. Navy,[A 3] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Texas_%28BB-35%29#cite_note-11) the first U.S. battleship to become a permanent museum ship (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Museum_ship)[A 4] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Texas_%28BB-35%29#cite_note-12) ,[9] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Texas_%28BB-35%29#cite_note-HNSVG-10) and the first battleship declared to be a U.S. National Historic Landmark (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Historic_Landmark).[A 5] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Texas_%28BB-35%29#cite_note-13)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Texas_(BB-35 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Texas_%28BB-35))

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h29/eh1656/IMG_2015.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h29/eh1656/IMG_2013.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h29/eh1656/IMG_1956.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h29/eh1656/IMG_1952.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h29/eh1656/IMG_1935.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h29/eh1656/IMG_1931.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h29/eh1656/IMG_1984.jpghttp://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h29/eh1656/IMG_1992.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h29/eh1656/IMG_1990.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h29/eh1656/IMG_2011.jpg



http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h29/eh1656/IMG_1988.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h29/eh1656/IMG_2029.jpg

[Dispatcher]

Thanks for posting Zeke. Awesome.

[G-AWZT]

My father's first posting was gun turret #3 on the battlewagon Pennsylvania late '44.
Those ships were used mainly for fire support for amphib landings.

[GrinchWSLG]

Measure 21 eh? Paint. Everything. BLUE.

[Mastermind]

I simply must take the time to go see these things for myself ...they are magnificent.

Thanks for the post...enjoyed it. MM

[deadtired]

Great topic Zeke!

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o222/ag05aggie/survival%20hq/IMG_0057.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o222/ag05aggie/survival%20hq/IMG_0053.jpg


http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o222/ag05aggie/survival%20hq/IMG_0052.jpg

Inside one of the main turrets
http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o222/ag05aggie/survival%20hq/IMG_0050.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o222/ag05aggie/survival%20hq/IMG_0051.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o222/ag05aggie/survival%20hq/IMG_0049.jpg

I can't recall the exact type of 5" gun these are, but IIRC there's fewer that a half dozen left in existence
http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o222/ag05aggie/survival%20hq/IMG_0046.jpg

Obligatory gunsight pic
http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o222/ag05aggie/survival%20hq/IMG_0042.jpg

Beautiful ship, served our nation proud, and a proper ambassador from the great state of Texas to those that would do us harm.

[onefast93z28]

Neat pics, I've been wanting to head out there.

[GrinchWSLG]

Neat pics, I've been wanting to head out there.

We'll have to work something out on a long weekend once they get me out to OKC, that'll be the closest I'll ever be to Texas.

[DizBukHaPeter]

I love the USS Texas, been awhile since I been there. You can actually traverse some of the anti aircraft guns, i remember doing this every time I went when I was little.

I love the USS Texas so much, I did a project on it in Texas History in elementary school.

[igan]

hello all im new at this forum.really felt sad i was not able to visit this ship last year, when i was there at galveston.thank you for posting the pictures of the uss texas.

[Johnny_H02]

I went to Texas about 10 years ago and went aboard the U.S.S. Texas. What a really neat ship she was, its the only Battleship I've ever visited.

[curlyboy]

Anymore news about her moving into a dry dock yet as they were looking at moving her out of the river as it is having a detrimental effect on the hull.

But for a ship of her age and pedigree it is good to see pics of her up close.

curlyboy

[Violet Fashion by Mindy]

Texas looks short, fat kinda like a barge with guns.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:USS_Texas-5.jpg

HMS Warspite. From the same era

http://www.maritimequest.com/warship_directory/great_britain/battleships/warspite/05_hms_warspite_entering_valletta.jpg

[deadtired]

Texas is about 60 feet shorter and 5 feet wider than Warspite, according to Wikipedia. Warspite had about 3 knots on the Texas, as well. The Warspite's displacement was 6,000 tons greater than Texas.

However, the Texas ran with 10x 14" guns to the Warspite's 8, and 21x 5" guns to the Warspite's 12x 6" guns. Tradeoff of speed for firepower, I guess.

[WarDancer]

Just a little lesson. When referring to a ship by name, i.e USS Texas, it is not necessary to refer to her as "the USS Texas". Simply refer to her as USS Texas. Saying "the USS Texas" is akin to refering to someone by name as "The Dave" or "The Susan". Kinda petty I know, just something that bothers me. That and a "near miss". Either you hit the damn thing or you dont! Carry on!!

[Violet Fashion by Mindy]

USS Texas

Displacement: 27,000 tons (design)
Length: 573 ft (175 m)
Beam: 95 ft 3 in (29.0 m)
Draft: 27 ft 10.5 in (8.50 m) (normal)
Speed: 21 kn (39 km/h)
Complement: 954 officers and men
Armament:10 × 14 in (360 mm) guns,[6]
21 × 5-inch (130 mm) guns[6]
4 × 3-pounders (1.4 kg)[2]

4 × 21-inch (530 mm) submerged torpedo tubes
Armor: Belt: 12–10 in. (305–254 mm); 6 inches (150 mm) aft[6][5]
Bulkheads: 10 in (250 mm) and 11 in (280 mm) (9 in (230 mm) lower belt aft)[6]
Barbettes: 12–5 in (300–130 mm)[6]
Turrets: face, 14 in (360 mm); top, 4 in (100 mm); sides, 2 in (51 mm); rear, 8 in (200 mm)
Decks: 1.5–3 in (38–76 mm)

HMS Warspite

Displacement: As built: 33,410 tons deep
Length: 639 ft 5 in
Beam: 90 ft 6 in (27.6 m)
Draught: 30 ft 6 in (9.3 m)
Speed: 24 knots (design)
Complement: 925 to 1,220

Armament: As built:
4 × twin Mk I 15-inch/42 guns
12 × single Mk XII 6-inch guns
2 × single 3-inch high-angle guns
4 × single 3-pdr (47 mm) saluting guns
4 × 21-inch submerged torpedo tubes

Armour: belt: 14 in max.
turrets: 13 in max.
conning tower: 12 in max.


Bare in mind numbers don't tell the true story. The Queen Elizabeth class warships were still duking it out with state of the art German and Italian battleships in WW2 after their modernization.

[curlyboy]

You cant really compare the Queen Elizabeth's to the texas as most of the QE's were heavily modified after the end of WW1 and they were completely differant beasts to as built.

But you are right that German battleship captains were wary around them but were under explicit orders not to engage a royal navy warship unless the risks were minimal and were not to risk their own ships where Italian admirals ran from them (cape Matapan).

But USS Texas still survives where even the grand old HMS Warspite succumbed to the scrap man even though she did not make it easy for them.

curlyboy

[Violet Fashion by Mindy]

I'm not nitpicking or anything. I'm a fan of all dreadnoughts.

[chalk_2]

How many dreadnoughts are still in an existence?

[Violet Fashion by Mindy]

USS Texas

2 North Carolina class

4 Iowa class

That's it.

[LineDoggie]

USS TEXAS gave Naval gunfire support to the Rangers at Pointe du Hoc & 3rd Bn, 116th Inf. that day.

The Rangers took so many Casualties that Texas's Marine Det under Cpt. Bernard & Lt Hammerbeck were alerted to send re-inforcements to the Rangers. Instead at the last minute the mission was cancelled and they took aboard Wounded and German POW's. There are Pictures that show the MarDet handing out Earplugs to the German POW's that day on the aft deck. The POW's were later transferred onto LST 266 for shipment to Britain.

The Cancellation was supposedly greeted with relief by the det as they had no prior combat experience and were going ashore with Reisings, 03's, and Grenades. According to One Marine: "This is going to be the Biggest Goddamn Slaughter since Custer got his at the Little Big Horn"

[PyroGoBooooom]

I'm glad to see the old girl survived the hurricane! Looks like she got a new coat of paint since the last I saw her back in '05. Drove down to the coast on my honeymoon. Luckily my wife is as big a history nerd as I am...we stopped by San Jac Monument, looked over and saw Texas there in all her glory. I'll have to dig up a few pics of my wife manning one of the ol' AA guns. Need to take a trip down there again here in a few weeks...new camera needs to be broken in, can't think of a better subject to break it in with!

[khalifah]

^
that would be great to see!

I can only imagine the feeling when those guns went off, the sheer noise and the power, damn!
Its a shame though that such ships lost their place in blue water navies today. idk, all i can think about right now is what kind of impression such dreadnoughts have on force projection missions.:roll:

[PyroGoBooooom]

As promised here are some pix...couldn't find the rest of them...good excuse to go back down and see her again. I've got the ship's bell, a view from the top deck, a bow shot from a considerable distance, and the wife manning an AA gun. My favorite shot that I can't find is my foot beside one of the anchor chain links. I've got a size 14 foot, and a single link just dwarfed it!

[I-Tankman]

nice pics man! that's a hell of a ship!