The warship, which saw action in both world wars before becoming a museum ship, will now undergo further restoration before re-opening up to the public late next year. The USS Texas, once one of the most powerful and intimidating warships to sail upon the seas, is now the last of its kind, revered for its history. When it was first launched in 1912, it was one of a dozen dreadnoughts, featuring hefty defenses and devastating deck guns, which could be used to deal damage on land and at sea. During World War I, the Texas spent most of its time patrolling the North Sea, and in December 1918, it escorted President Woodrow Wilson to France for peace negotiations. The battleship is more famous for its service in World War II, when it bombarded German defenses during the D-Day invasion and hammered the Japanese forces during the Battle of Iwo Jima and the invasion of Okinawa. The Texas was one of the first ships equipped with anti-aircraft weapons. Upon its retirement, the USS Texas became a museum before undergoing a first round of repairs in 1988. In recent years, the need for further repairs, especially in the aged hull, became quite clear. Now the process is underway to restore the big ship to its former glory.
Recently spent a weekend on the USS Massachusetts with my son and his scout group. Gave me great perspective to the war time effort my grandfather and his generation put forth. He is probably rolling in his grave looking down on what he sacrificed for. That man could do anything and do it with pride. What he and many others fought for has become because of greed is a sad state. We all need to channel the will of those men to take our country back.
