One of 6 to serve in both world wars? What are the other 5?
National Registry of U.S.S. Texas
http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NHLS/Text/76002039.pdf
Obama can’t even keep Japanse submarines out of Galveston Bay.
There may come a day that we have to recommission ships like these to shell the barbarian coasts of the islamic caliphate as President James Madison did when he sent the United States Navy to shell the Barbary Coast.
The Texas is an amazing Battleship. One of the pieces of trivia I have about her is that the Naval Architect who was in charge of her design slipped in the ratios for Length Width and Height of Noah’s Ark as described in the bible.
I also remember that the Texas was described by her commanders as the most stable ship they had ever had the pleasure of commanding.
They were smart to berth her in fresh water. Those ships that are in salt water are going to have problems a lot sooner.
I wonder how much it would cost for some very rich person to build a modern, heavy armor battleship with 16” typical range rail guns. Here’s the logic.
To start with, modern anti-ship missiles are designed to attack very light ship hulls. On the typical ship they are devastating, but would hardly scratch the paint of a WWII-era battleship. However, armor today is much, much better than it was then, as well as much lighter, so a modern heavy armor battleship would be far harder to kill than even a WWII ship.
Add to that a typical 16” HE round, but not propelled by powder, but by a rail gun. Naval rail guns are designed to propel very small projectiles at extreme speeds over vast distances, but similar technology can heave a heavy projectile about the same range and speed as powder, but much more safely.
But why do such a thing?
For a very good reason. Coastal bombardment, which today is done with cruise missiles and other high tech toys, is very small and precise. However, sometimes you do not want precise. You want a sledgehammer.
And nobody who has ever experienced a US Navy 16” round has ever forgotten it. It can pick up the side of a mountain and shake it, hard. No finesse is involved. Importantly, no one who has ever experienced this wants to experience it again.
And that can be very useful in war.
does it still have all five main gun turrets???We were on board this wonderful ship a couple of years ago. It was an unforgettable experience and the highlight of our trip to Houston.
If you ever get the chance, check out a book called The Ayes of Texas by Daniel Da Cruz. Pretty cook sci-fi book starring the old battleship.
Outgunned (14"--360mm/45 cal guns) and outdistanced by later German 15" (38cm SK C/34) and American 16" (460mm/50cal Mark 7) designs.
Lovely lines, though.
And a trillion $$$ of more debt per yer.
What a mess that one wonders if it can be cleaned up.
My bet is a sea-chest leak. After so long without regular dry-docking, her seawater piping is likely ridden with pinhole leaks.
Does anyone know of a website where donations could be sent?