Battleship Texas Foundation

Battleship Texas Foundation The official page of the Battleship Texas Foundation. For more information on Battleship Texas, please visit: BATTLESHIPTEXAS.ORG

, September 2, 1945, , the Instrument of Surrender was signed aboard USS MISSOURI (BB-63) in Tokyo Bay, formally endin...
09/02/2026

, September 2, 1945, , the Instrument of Surrender was signed aboard USS MISSOURI (BB-63) in Tokyo Bay, formally ending the Second World War.

While the war was over and American servicemen could breathe a sigh of relief, the work was far from over. There were an estimated 8 million Americans serving overseas at the end of the war, and the logistical operation to bring them home – Operation Magic Carpet – would go on for another year.

On V-J Day, USS TEXAS (BB-35) was in Nakagusuku Bay, Okinawa, better known to the Americans there as “Buckner Bay” in honor of Lt. General Simon Bolivar Buckner Jr. who was killed in action on Okinawa on June 18, 1945. No one on TEXAS knew for sure when they would be home, as Enever Limerick wrote in his journal that day.

“Still at Buckner Bay and it doesn’t look like we will be leaving any time soon. Maybe in about a month or so. There have been a lot of bets made of when we will be back home. We all believe that by a year from now we will be decommissioning the Texas.” -Enever Limerick writing aboard TEXAS on September 2, 1945.

TEXAS left Okinawa just three weeks later, beginning her first “Magic Carpet Ride” to repatriate Americans from the Pacific. She stopped in Pearl Harbor and finally arrived in the Port of Los Angeles on October 15, 1945. She completed three more Magic Carpet Rides between Pearl Harbor and California, the last one reaching San Diego, California on Christmas Eve, 1945.

📸: Color photo of the signing ceremony aboard MISSOURI on September 2, 1945. Courtesy of the National Archives & Records Administration.

September 1, 1927, USS TEXAS (BB-35) became the flagship of the United States fleet, a role she would serve in until S...
09/01/2026

September 1, 1927, USS TEXAS (BB-35) became the flagship of the United States fleet, a role she would serve in until September 15, 1931. She relieved the armored cruiser USS SEATTLE (formerly USS WASHINGTON) of that role and was herself relieved by USS PENNSYLVANIA (BB-38).

📷: TEXAS taken from the Brooklyn Bridge by Underwood on September 7, 1927.

08/31/2026

, August 31, 2022, Battleship TEXAS had been successfully towed to Galveston, Texas, marking the beginning of extensive repair and restoration, bringing a new life to this unique and historic ship.

As we commemorate the anniversary of this momentous event, we celebrate the incredible support extended to the Battleship TEXAS since 1948. This iconic vessel has made a lasting mark on the hearts and minds of many, and it will continue to educate, inspire, and foster pride in future generations.

, August 30, 2022, crews from the Battleship Texas Foundation, Valkor Energy Services, Resolve Marine, and others began...
08/30/2026

, August 30, 2022, crews from the Battleship Texas Foundation, Valkor Energy Services, Resolve Marine, and others began boarding the Battleship TEXAS in preparation for the tow to Galveston, Texas, where the ship will undergo repair and restoration at Gulf Copper Shipyard.

📷: Battleship TEXAS on August 30, 2022, before the tow to Galveston, Texas, for repairs.

Happy International Read Comics in Public Day! This May 1945 issue of Military Comics was discovered on Battleship TEXAS...
08/28/2026

Happy International Read Comics in Public Day! This May 1945 issue of Military Comics was discovered on Battleship TEXAS in 2025. Military Comics was published by Quality Comics, which was later acquired by DC Comics in the 1950s.

📷: Courtesy of Texas Parks & Wildlife Department

that the crew of USS TEXAS (BB-35) procured their own food supplies for most of her service? With 1,000 to 1,800 men o...
08/27/2026

that the crew of USS TEXAS (BB-35) procured their own food supplies for most of her service? With 1,000 to 1,800 men on board, this was a major undertaking that fell on the Supply Department when in port. The supply officer and other men would go ashore and meet with local businesses to place bulk orders. The food for the enlisted crew was paid for by the Navy, through a budget allocated to the ship which the Supply Department had to manage to ensure everyone was fed and fed well. The food would be delivered to the ship and it was often hundreds or thousands of pounds of produce, meats, and other foodstuffs.

In the very early years of TEXAS’s service, these food deliveries were typically recorded in the ship’s deck log. This gives us a bit of insight into how an average sailor was eating at the time. For example, on August 1, 1916 the ship received 10,010 pounds of potatoes, 1,769 pounds of cabbage, 1,575 pounds of onions, 1,050 dozen eggs (12,600 eggs), 1,122 pounds of butter, 100 pounds of yeast, and about 8,000 pounds of beef, pork, mutton, veal, fowl, pork sausage, bologna, frankfurters, and ham.

📸: Sailors peeling potatoes outside the "spud locker" on TEXAS. Courtesy of Texas Parks & Wildlife Department.

the Gunnery Excellence Trophy owned by Victor Blue. Blue was appointed captain of USS TEXAS (BB-35) just one month pri...
08/26/2026

the Gunnery Excellence Trophy owned by Victor Blue. Blue was appointed captain of USS TEXAS (BB-35) just one month prior to the ship receiving its gunnery "E" in 1916. He remained her commanding officer throughout the First World War.

What’s a battleship without a dog named “Rex”?It’s no surprise that dogs became part of the Battleship TEXAS crew, keepi...
08/26/2026

What’s a battleship without a dog named “Rex”?

It’s no surprise that dogs became part of the Battleship TEXAS crew, keeping many company while aboard. This , we recognize Rex, and all of the other dog mascots who called the ship home!

📷: Members of 5th Division, USS TEXAS (BB-35), pose with “Rex” the dog. Courtesy of Texas Parks & Wildlife Department.

that USS TEXAS (BB-35) took part in a successful amphibious invasion of Long Island, New York in 1916? Well, sort of.F...
08/25/2026

that USS TEXAS (BB-35) took part in a successful amphibious invasion of Long Island, New York in 1916? Well, sort of.

From August 19 to August 26, 1916, the US Navy held war games off the coast of Rhode Island and New York. The Red Force, which TEXAS was a part of, was tasked with landing ground forces somewhere along the northern Atlantic coast of the United States. The Blue Force was tasked with defending the coast and preventing the Red Force from landing.

The Red Force was given a headstart to get underway and went out to sea on August 19, then the Blue Force took their defensive posture along the coast and began searching for the Red Force on August 20. On August 24, TEXAS made contact with the enemy destroyer USS AYLWIN (DD-47) and sunk her. On August 25, the Red Force brought its scouting forces back into the main battle line and prepared for an assault in the early morning of August 26. The Red Force maneuvered along a northwesterly course towards Long Island, passing by the “sunk” USS PAULDING (DD-22) at about 5 AM. At about 6 AM, the force spotted and engaged USS DRAYTON (DD-23), USS FANNING (DD-37) and USS BENHAM (DD-49) and sunk all three in short order. Finally, the main enemy force was spotted after 8 AM and engaged. The Red Force prevailed, but TEXAS was lost in action at 9 AM.

📸: Front page of the El Paso Herald on August 26, 1916.

Battleship TEXAS looked a little different in July of 1913. By October, the ship would be steaming under her own power f...
08/22/2026

Battleship TEXAS looked a little different in July of 1913. By October, the ship would be steaming under her own power for a standardization trial.

Are some of the features photographed in 1913 still visible today?

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77056

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